


Human Life is Varied

by tootsdreaming (mpatientdreamr)



Series: Brothers and Sisters [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Naruto
Genre: Blood Bond, Creepy Danzo, Crossover, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Kid Fic, Space and Time, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-05 20:24:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16374446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mpatientdreamr/pseuds/tootsdreaming
Summary: Dawn gets a second chance, Naruto gets family, and Konoha gets the reality check it deserves.





	1. Born New

Dawn was dying. After weeks of ragged breathing and no appetite, of tests and terrifying results, of everyone walking around like she was half in the grave already, she could finally admit that. And all over a stupid mistake, too. She knew better than to open scrolls in the archive without checking for booby traps.

 

The door to the infirmary slid open but she didn't have the strength to even roll her head. If anybody was here to kill her, they'd just be moving up the time table a bit. She was smiling at that macabre thought when a face came to hover over hers and she was surprised to note that she was a little disappointed that he was familiar.

 

She wrinkled her nose at him in greeting. She hadn't had the breath for speech for days.

 

Jiraiya looked unusually grim and shockingly old. It had been a year or so since she'd seen him, but this seemed more like wear from hard times than natural aging.

 

“Dawn, can you hear me?” he rasped and she wrinkled her nose at him. He seemed to get that that was the best she could do because he was nodding. “Good. I studied the scroll you were trying to look at and all the information your family has about your...unique origins.” The heart monitor blipped unhappily at that and he gently cupped her face. “None of that, now. There isn't time for secrets. Honestly, there's not even really time to explain.” He grabbed her forearm and it started to burn, the heart monitor going crazy as he leaned over her, his eyes mesmerizing. “Sarutobi, Dawn. Say it with me. Sarutobi.”

 

She mouthed as her eyes slid shut and the monitor began to wail, “Saru-”

 

***

“-tobi?” Her eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice and she was looking up at 2 people in porcelain masks with red markings in a deep, dark forest. Why she was suddenly tiny, she hadn't the foggiest.

 

“Sarutobi?” she managed before her knees buckled and her eyes rolled up in her head.

 

***

She woke in a hospital, a pretty brunette with wide purple marks leaning over her.

 

“She's awake, Sandaime-sama,” the woman said, pulling back so that she could see the other people in the room.

 

An old man in a funny hat sat with his fingers steepled, puffing on his pipe. Another man with a wild mane of white hair hovered at his shoulder. She decided the old man was in charge and focused on him.

 

“Tell us your name,” he said after they'd been staring at each other for a moment.

 

She opened her mouth and nothing came to her. She started to panic because she might not know where she was, how she got there, or who any of these people were, but she should know her own name, shouldn't she?

 

Her breathing picked up as she panicked, little spots starting to dance in front of her eyes until she finally yelped, “I don't know!”

 

They stared at her impassively until Mr. Flowing Locks of White pressed, “You don't remember _anything_?”

 

She closed her eyes and thought but only one thing came to her. “Sarutobi, but that isn't my name. It doesn't feel...It's not my name.”

 

If nothing else, she was sure of that.

 

“No, child,” the old man said slowly. “It's mine.”

 

Oh. _Crap_. Her heart knocked against her ribs, then stopped. She turned pale and mist started to creep over her vision.

 

“I _told_ you that she was too weak for this,” the lady medic said, sounding like she was under water, and came to hover over her. She tried to smile for her as she slipped into darkness.

***

She woke curled on her side facing the door. One of the masked people was standing there. There was a clean white bandage wrapped from her left wrist to her elbow and she no longer felt as weak as a kitten.

 

She sat up, scrubbing at her eyes with her fists. The Masked Man, because she was pretty sure it was a guy, watched her as she slid off the bed. She walked up to stand in front of him and fidgeted with the hem of her gown as she tilted her head back to ask, “Have they figured out who I am, yet? Or where I came from? Or why the only thing I remember is the name of a man I've never met?”

 

He just stared at her and she sighed. If she was left for long in a mostly empty hospital room with an unresponsive guard, things were going to become hazardous. She didn't know how she knew that; she just did.

 

There was another option, of course, but she wasn't sure what her guard would think of it. She shrugged, checked to make sure the back of the gown was closed, and shifted to pull open the door when his hand landed flat against it, holding it closed.

 

She stepped back and shook her head at him. “I need to know what's happening and if you won't tell me, then I'd like to find somebody who will.”

 

He seemed startled that she was arguing with him but there was an undercurrent of amusement. Instead of arguing with her, he held out his hand and after she warily took it, he led her out into the corridor. Everyone seemed a to skitter out of his way and she decided the mask guys were probably like the town's boogeymen.

 

They'd nearly made it to the door when an older lady who looked like she'd seen a bit of everything stopped him. “ANBU-san, where are you taking the child?”

 

“To Sandaime-sama,” he answered and she startled as the lady nodded. Apparently, he could speak, just not to her.

 

Someone hustled through the doors, air with the bite of late fall rushing in and chilling her to the bone. She shivered and her guard stared down at her for a moment before he crouched, pulled off his cloak, and wrapped her in it, lifting her and pulling the hood over her head. Since she couldn't see anything, anyway, she laid her head on his shoulder and curled her hands into his shirt. She felt wind resistance as he took off, but the trip was smooth until they jerked to a stop.

 

A knock sounded and the old man's voice called, “Enter.”

 

She straightened as they walked through the door, shoving the hood off her head. Then she shrank back against her guard, her hand tightening in his shirt. Besides Hair Guy and Sarutobi, there was a man wrapped in bandages and he was giving her the wig. Nobody looked at little girls like that unless they were creepsters. Her guard must have felt her reticence because he stopped in his tracks, arm tightening around her legs. Maybe she wasn't the only one who saw it.

 

“Hound-san...,” Sarutobi said around his pipe.

 

“The girl requires information that I'm not allowed to give her,” her guard said and she could sort of see how his mask looked like a puppy, now. A murder puppy, yes, but a puppy.

 

“Of course,” Sarutobi said and stood, looking at creepy bandages guy. “Danzo, we will continue this later.”

 

Danzo hesitated for only a moment before saying, “Of course.”

 

She balled her fist tighter into Hound-san's shirt under the cloak and he angled her away from him as the creepy guy passed, the want and greed in his eyes crawling over her skin like ants.

 

Everybody stayed still and tense for a long minute and when Hound-san relaxed, she whispered to him, “I didn't like him. He was dirty.”

 

He patted her leg awkwardly as he walked around the desk and put her on the edge in front of Sarutobi. He hesitated a moment before tucking his cloak around her legs. She smiled up at him and got the feeling he was startled but pleased as he moved to stand military straight against the wall.

 

Then he rattled off her questions just as she had and Sarutobi tilted his head, studying them.

 

“Your name is Dawn,” the old man finally answered. “You were sent here because you were dying and this was the only way your family could think to help you. And you remembered my name because it was an odd form of safe passage as they could not come with you. They knew people would at least be curious about how you knew it.”

 

“Huh,” she managed before the door burst open and Dawn looked back to see her lady medic stumble to a stop.

 

“My apologies,” she said, bowing to Sarutobi. “I was concerned about my patient that had gone missing.”

 

Saritobi nodded as the lady gently closed the door and shuffled to Dawn's side. The look she sent Hound-san was absolute poison as she reached out to smooth Dawn's hair from her forehead, probably checking for a fever. It was such a mom move that she suddenly wanted to cry. Whatever that story was, she didn't think it had a happy ending.

 

“I'm sorry, Lady Medic, but I was going to go by myself if he didn't help,” Dawn said, battling back her melancholy to smile at her.

 

“My name is Nohara Rin,” her medic said, bending at the knee a bit to look her in the eye. “And I'm a medical nin.”

 

Dawn nodded, kicking her bare feet under the cloak to watch it flutter silently around her. “Okay. Nohara Rin, Sarutobi, Hound-san, and Hair Guy. I'm Dawn.”

 

Hair Guy let out a startled laugh. “Call me Jiraiya, brat. Although somebody's gonna have to teach you honorifics, eventually.”

 

Rin cleared her throat and leaned down to whisper, “And Sarutobi-sama is the Sandaime, the Third Hokage of Konoha.”

 

“Sandaime, Jiraiya, Rin, and Hound-san,” Dawn whispered back, nodding. It was odd, but she felt better knowing everybody's name. “So. What're we doing with me? Are we sending me back to...wherever?”

 

Sandaime cleared his throat and looked at Jiraiya who shifted uncomfortably, answering, “We can't send you back, brat. We don't really know how they sent you here in the first place. It seems you're stuck with us.”

 

Dawn watched him tap a decent sized scroll against his palm and asked, “How did you find out my name?”

 

The tapping immediately stopped and he shifted. “Well. Apparently, whoever sent you, they decided to let you carry a message for them.” He waggled the scroll then pointed at her bandaged arm. “They sealed it in there. When we removed the seal, out came the scroll.”

 

The scroll was bigger around than her arm. She didn't want to call him a liar, but really. She gave him a dubious look.

 

“I'm pretty sure,” he said, shrugging, “that whoever did it decided your talent with time and space would take care of it.”

 

Dawn decided not to argue. Fatigue had snuck up on her and she was suddenly just so tired of this whole ordeal. She couldn't go back, so she had to go forward.

 

She studied her hands for a moment before asking, “Does the scroll tell you how old I am?”

 

“No,” he said after a beat. “But Rin-san says you're either 5 or a very petite 6.”

 

She yawned before she could ask anything else and Rin said with a bit of steel in her voice, “That's enough. She's not well enough to be discharged, yet. We can continue this after she's gotten over the chakra depletion.”

***

Later didn't come. When she was finally discharged from the hospital, a woman that was so obviously civilian picked her up, holding a little travel case in her hand. She was nice, but distant, and already burdened with 4 kids of her own. She didn't expect Dawn to be a nanny or a maid, she just wanted her to stay out of the way.

 

The nightmares started a week after she was released, terrible ordeals for everyone involved. She blacked her foster mother's eye the first time she tried to wake her up from one and after that, she was left to her own devices.

 

After a whole month of sleepless nights and terrifying the other kids in the house, her foster mother marched her and her little travel case into the Hokage's Tower.

 

“She's a good girl,” her foster mother said. “As long as she's awake. She needs help and I don't have the time to deal with her. I'm sorry, Hokage-sama.” She paused, then settled a hand on Dawn's head. “I'm sorry, Dawn-chan.”

 

Then she hustled back out the door, leaving Dawn with the Sandaime.

 

“Do you want to tell me about these nightmares?” he asked gently.

 

“I don't remember,” she said, twisting her fingers in her skirt. She was only lying a little.

 

He sighed but didn't push.

 

The next six homes were much the same, only they didn't last nearly as long as her first foster mother.

 

Finally, Sandaime sighed, eyeing her. “This isn't working, is it?”

 

“No, Sandaime-sama,” she answered dutifully, swinging her feet from the edge of the desk. She refused to care that she'd become something of a problem child.

 

He sighed again and nodded. “Then we'll try something different.”

 

The group homes and the orphanage only made it worse until, finally, the Sandaime was forced to try something really different.

 

“Dawn-chan, this is Yamanaka Inoichi. He's going to try to find a way to stop the nightmares,” he said and didn't argue when she climbed off the desk and into his lap at the sight of the big blond dude with lovely eyes.

 

It was hard to tell but she thought that shocked Yamanaka. He hesitated a beat before moving around the desk and kneeling in front of her. “This won't hurt,” he said before placing his hands on her head.

 

What felt like a slow blink later, he pulled his hand away, frowning. She started twisting the Sandaime's robes in her fingers as he said, “There's nothing earlier than 3 months ago. It's like everything's been wiped clean. There might be something else there, but it's layered under white noise; I can't focus on it.”

 

A knock on the door cut him off and he rose as the Sandaime called, “Come in.”

 

The door banged open and Jiraiya stood there looking triumphant. Dawn felt herself light up. He was just such a funny old man.

 

“ANBU-san, take Dawn out and wait in the hall, please,” Sandaime said and she scooted off his lap, scuttled around Yamanaka, and the bird-faced ANBU-san that reached for her, and hurried over to grab Kitty-san's hand and haul him out of the shadows, towing him along behind her. He and Hound-san were two of _her_ ANBU, almost always the ones that were sent to collect her when things were going awry.

 

She stopped just in front of Jiraiya and reached up. He held out a hand, letting her curl her hand around two of his fingers. “Are you staying long?”

 

“Hmm,” he grumbled, bending at the waist until his face hovered over hers. “I suppose I could stay a couple of days longer.”

 

She smiled and went up on her tip toes and pressed her cheek to his in thanks.

 

She stepped back and let go of his hand and he moved aside to let her pass. Dawn paused in front of the woman behind him, tall, blonde, and busty with a diamond in the middle of her forehead who watched her curiously. Dawn bowed a bit, then shuffled past, dragging Kitty-san with her.

 

The door closed behind them as she took a seat on the bench, keeping Kitty-san's hand even when his fingers flexed like he was thinking of letting go. A dark-haired woman was watching them as she leaned against the wall across from them. Dawn tipped until she was pressed against his side. After 3 months of little to no sleep and moving every few days, it wasn't a surprise when her lids started to slide shut.

 

She woke up, as always, screaming.


	2. Chapter Two: Home Bound

There were other places Tsunade wanted to be. Really, anywhere besides Konoha would do. But Jiraiya had dangled a puzzle in front of her and treated it like a favor to both him and Sensei, so here she was. To give Jiraiya his due, the girl was a curious little thing, seemingly unafraid of ANBU and treating Jiraiya like a wayward grandfather. Her smile was bright and delightful even as the dark bags under her eyes gave away her trouble.

 

Tsunade knew she was focusing on the child so she wouldn't have to look at Sensei, wouldn't have to see how old and worn he'd gotten since the last time she'd seen him. She was almost prepared for the guilt she felt when she faced him. Almost.

 

He waved to the blond beside him and rasped, “Yamanaka-san, tell them what we've found.”

 

Tsunade let it all wash over her as she wondered why she was really here. She was afraid she knew from the look in Sensei's eyes.

 

“Any thoughts?” Saritobi-sensei asked, his fingers steepled.

 

“Not until I've examined the girl fully,” she said, straightening a bit as the look on his face shifted just a tad.

 

“I would ask that you do so as soon as possible,” he said. “I would also ask that you consider staying. I've been studying your proposal from years back and I think you were right. Every team should have a medical nin on it. I can't guarantee that we'll be able to recall all the teams at the same time as we train them, but on rotation along with starting early with children at the Academy and by the next generation, a med nin per unit will be status quo.”

 

Her adamant denial died in her throat. It was her dream, hers and Dan's, laid at her feet like a sacrifice. Not necessarily a promise for today, but a guarantee for the future.

 

“I'm not going to raise the girl,” she said instead of an outright yes. He could infer what he liked and she'd have plenty of wiggle room when Konoha finally became too suffocating. “And I want full control over the hospital and I get to approve of any courses the Academy teaches on medicine.”

 

“Done,” he said smiling and she felt the final nail in her coffin slam home.

 

She wanted to break something but Shizune burst through the door and gasped, “The girl-,” before screams that had the hairs on the back of her neck standing up started.

 

Everybody went for the door, the Yamanaka pushing past them with a murmured apology to grasp the girl's head. He sucked in a breath and rocked on his heels, paling drastically.

 

“I think there's a seal,” he said after a moment, though he kept his hand on her head.

 

The girl's thrashing and screaming became more frantic and the ANBU that was holding both of her fists, his mask cracked and crooked, was whispering, “Dawn-chan, Dawn-chan,” as he shook her lightly to wake her.

 

Finally, the screaming cut off as her eyes snapped open, welling up before she flung herself at the ANBU, weeping into the crook of his neck. He was stiff for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her and lifted.

 

Tsunade marveled at that, a child that would turn to one of the most dangerous people in the Five Great Elemental Villages for comfort and that he would actually give it.

 

Yamanaka-san held up a scroll that he'd been drawing on. “It's a seal and it's leaking.”

 

“Aw, hell,” Jiraiya muttered, taking the scroll. “I was afraid of that.”

 

“Is there a way to close it?” Sensei asked.

 

“Not without removing it, I don't think,” Jiraiya said, frowning. “But there might be a way to ground it. I'll have to study everything we have on her, again.”

 

Sarutobi-sensei nodded, looking terribly old. “Then I suppose we should get her settled in with her new home while you work. ANBU-san, bring Miyako-san, please.”

 

Tsunade went still, recognizing that name, as the ANBU agent bowed to the Sandaime and vanished in a swirl of leaves. That the girl was being given over to Miyako-san meant that all civilian avenues were closed to her. And while most Hidden Villages, including Konoha, were no strangers to orphans and had a decent infrastructure to care for them, there just weren't that many shinobi that had the time to care for a child that wasn't their own.

 

Dawn-chan had settled enough to be put back down in her chair so that Tsunade could examine her. They were both ignoring the three men muttering to each other in the doorway to the Hokage's office, Shizune hovering over Tsunade's shoulder, and Cat-san over Dawn.

 

Tsunade frowned as she fed chakra through the girl's chakra points. They were ragged and leaking, and Tsunade wasn't certain how she was still up and going. She also wanted a piece of the med nin that let her out of the hospital.

 

She smoothed reddish brown hair out of a wan face dwarfed at the moment by big blue eyes and managed a smile before she stood and stomped to the huddle, saying, “We should take this into your office.”

 

She must have sounded fit to kill because the ANBU with Sensei stiffened, Jiraiya winced, and the Yamanaka subtly tried to sidle out of her range. She shot him a glare and he went still. She didn't know how long he'd been involved in this farce and frankly, she didn't care. No one was getting away before she gave them a piece of her mind.

 

The door closed behind them and Tsunade took a deep breath, then bellowed, “What the hell do you think you're doing?! That little girl's pathways look like so much meat! She's leaking chakra while suffering both chakra depletion and normal exhaustion! When I get my hands on the medics that released, her, I'm gonna break them in half! And then you two start tinkering with her brain! It's a wonder she's not dead!”

 

Jiraiya grimaced. “I was afraid you were gonna say that. Look, the seal that Yamanaka saw pulls from her chakra. Since it's malfunctioning, it's not really a surprise that it's messing with her pathways. Add to that the sealed scroll we took from her arm, which might have been stabilizing the seal as well as adding power to it, and we've got a mess.” Tsunade started to blow up again when Sensei shoved a medical file into her hands. “Which is why I came and got you. If anybody can figure out how to sort this shit out, it's you.”

 

“I promise,” Sensei said gravely, “that Dawn-chan was fit to leave the hospital when she was released. The nightmares didn't start to present until a week after she was discharged and she isn't the only orphan in the village that's had reason to suffer nightmares. When they grew so terrible that it was impossible to place her among civilians for their safety, I called in Yamanaka-san. Still, we weren't positive about the seal until just now.”

 

“If the seal's not fixed soon, I'd begin to worry about her sanity,” the Yamanaka cut in, spreading his hands when Tsunade lifted an eyebrow at him. “The things the seal is leaking don't belong in the mind of a child.” He rubbed his hands on the front of his pants and swallowed. “I could feel what she was feeling. That kind of desolation and fear can't be imagined. She, at one time, has actually felt those things and that is truly terrible.”

 

“You're saying the nightmares are actually memories,” Tsunade said, a tad horrified.

 

Yamanaka paused for a moment before nodding. “I believe so, yes.”

 

Tsunade ground her teeth. Someone, somewhere, was going to die a very messy death at the ends of her fists for exposing a child to living nightmares.

 

A brisk knock shut down their conversation and Tsunade yanked the door open as Saritobi-sensei called, “Come in.”

 

“I'm taking the brat to the hospital for a full check up,” Tsunade said, slipping out as Miyako-san slipped in. She glanced over to see Dawn chatting with a small blond boy and winced. “I'll take the other one, too, while you two talk.”

 

Miyako-san straightened like she would protest and Tsunade turned away, towards the children. The blond was pouring out chakra at an alarming rate; she knew exactly who she was dealing with and didn't care for the loose fit of the boys's clothes.

 

“Come on, brats, let's get Dawn to the hospital.” She tossed the girl's file to Shizune before sweeping them both up in her arms. She called back as she marched away, “I'm taking the Cat, too.”

 

Cat-san must have gotten the okay because he brought up the rear of her little parade clutching a tiny red suitcase, Shizune, Jiraiya, and Yamanaka clustered in the middle.

 

Dawn leaned over her shoulder, then ducked down giggling into her fists. “Kitty-san's annoyed.”

 

Tsunade nearly bit through her tongue to keep from laughing at her as Naruto stared at her in awe. Dawn beamed at him.

 

She reached out and traced a finger across Naruto's cheek, smiling, and whispered, “He has whiskers like you.”

 

Naruto curled into Tsunade's chest, head tucked under her chin, and she could feel his blush. Damned if that wasn't the cutest damned thing she'd seen in years.

 

Instead of waiting patiently for someone to open the door to the hospital, Tsunade kicked them open and sauntered inside, well aware that she had everyone's attention.

 

“I need a private room and Medical Nin Nohara Rin,” she said politely enough. Everyone stared, frozen. She scowled. “ _Now_.”

 

Everyone started scurrying around like rats trying to escape except for a stout older lady behind the desk who eyed her before snagging a young nurse by the collar. “Go find Nohara.”

 

The girl nearly fell over when she was let go, then turned and sprinted down a corridor. Tsunade wanted to laugh. Some things never changed. The older woman stood and motioned for them to follow her. “Sannin-sama, this way.”

 

“Aoi-sama, it's good to see you haven't lost your touch,” Tsunade said, following the woman that had sat behind that desk for as long as she could remember.

 

Aoi just grunted at her before letting them into a brightly lit, sterile exam room with two beds. “I'll tell Nohara where to find you.”

 

She walked away after a short bow and Tsunade placed Dawn on one bed and Naruto on the other, then took the chart Shizune handed her. “So. While we waited, why don't you tell me about Miyako-san.”

***

 

Turned out, Miyako wasn't some horrible, beastly foster mother. She was just a busy one. She'd been placed in the file rooms when it'd become obvious she would never have the chakra reserves to advance very far and a fluke accident in the field in her early genin days had lost her part of a leg. She was old and crabby but not mean. She bought Naruto's clothes a size bigger so they lasted longer, taught him how to save what little money the Orphan's fund sent him, and she always remembered to feed them and she never hit them.

 

Dawn spent most of the time trying not to fall asleep. Tsunade watched her jerk awake every few minutes until she finally sat up, wadded up a piece of paper, and started batting it at Cat-san. He swatted it back almost too fast to see him move and Tsunade hid her face behind the girl's chart. Dawn wasn't always fast enough to hit it back but it always landed in her lap for convenience. The kid was just too tired to keep up with an ANBU agent.

 

A young woman with purple block tattoos on her cheeks bustled into the room and Dawn and Naruto perked up.

 

“Hi, Lady Medic!” Dawn chirped, catching the paper ball before it hit her in the face.

 

“Call me Rin, Dawn-chan,” she said with a happy smile. “Naruto-kun, please sit before you fall.” Then she bowed to Tsunade, circumspect and wary. “Sannin-sama, you requested me?”

 

Demanded was more like it, but Tsunade took in the children's reactions and decided to pull her punches for the moment.

 

“Examine Dawn-chan,” she said, keeping her eyes on the chart.

 

Nohara nodded and did as ordered. She'd barely begun when she hissed in rage. “I told them to bring her back if there were any problems.”

 

Tsunade ran across that note, as well as a follow up appointment that had been rescheduled twice and decided that, perhaps, the medic wasn't solely responsible for this cock up. She began barking out questions that Nohara swiftly, if absently, answered as she examined the girl.

 

Tsunade decided she might be impressed with the young lady as she joined her over Dawn and Nohara said, “On your bottom, Naruto-kun,” without looking away from the girl.

 

He collapsed with a huff and Dawn smiled at him wanly.

 

“Diagnosis?” Tsunade murmured.

 

“Chakra depletion and sleep deprivation,” Nohara said, scowling.

 

“But she'll be okay, right?” Naruto asked, tipping forward until he nearly fell off the bed. Cat-san caught the back of his shirt to keep him from toppling over.

 

“Naruto-kun, I do the best for my patients that I can. You know that,” Nohara said blithely.

 

Tsunade gave in. The girl was a little soft, but she was both a good medic and good with children. She wouldn't have let Dawn out of the hospital if she weren't well enough to leave.

 

“When we finish here,” Tsunade mumbled, “I have an opportunity to discuss with you.”

 

Nohara looked at her warily even as she began repairing the damage to Dawn's pathways and Tsunade smiled. Yes, this was going to work out fine.


	3. Chapter Three: Take a bite out

A week after Tsunade and Rin had decided that Dawn was allowed to leave the hospital with Miyako-san, Kakashi was lurking a distance away as Dawn and Naruto played in the park. Naruto was running himself ragged, putting on a show for Dawn while she listlessly pushed herself on the swing. The girl was still too tired to keep up but the fresh air seemed to keep her awake. Others, mostly shinobi families, were around but they kept their distance. 

 

Kakashi crouched in a tree in full ANBU gear, giving the children the illusion of privacy but prepared to intervene if need be when a wave of killing intent so strong it nearly bowled him off his feet swept over the area. Instinct had him sprinting towards the children, but he was too late.

 

A _thing_ came out of the woods at blinding speed and had Dawn, screaming, clutched in its claws. It opened its mouth, Dawn stopped screaming, and something blew everyone off their feet. Kakashi scrambled up, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Naruto was screaming, hovering over a tiny body that was at least 30 feet away from where any of them had been, and a strange ANBU was coming to hover over the children.

 

Kakashi reacted, appearing in front of the ANBU and throwing everything he had behind a punch that launched him in the air before he could touch them. He motioned for Tenzo to deal with the second intruder and hurried over to pull Naruto away from Dawn, who was entirely too still.

 

Kakashi damned himself for getting attached. Bad enough he kept tabs on Naruto in memory of Minato-sensei. To become fond of him as well as this little girl because she loved and showed kindness to others wholeheartedly was going to lead to heartache. Because she was pale, still, and covered in blood.

 

He carefully lifted her and looked around until he spotted a pair of likely candidates coming forward. “Inoichi-san, Shikaku-san, please escort Naruto-kun to the hospital.”

 

They nodded, Shikaku lazily waving a hand at him.

 

The trip to the hospital was a blur and when he burst through the doors, everyone went still, then doctors and nurses swamped him, pulling Dawn's limp body from his arms.

 

He followed the parade surrounding the gurney, feeling numb. This wasn't the first time he'd been covered in blood, but it was the first time it felt like it was burning him.

 

Tsunade shot him a glower when he followed them into the operating suite, but didn't argue when he backed into a corner. They began stripping Dawn's tiny body of bloody, ragged clothing as they started a call and response that he had no chance of following. This was a battlefield he had no experience in and he hadn't felt this helpless since Minato-sensei's death.

 

“The bleeding won't stop.”

 

“Her pathways are fried. Don't overload her system.”

 

“Get that I.V. set up and somebody call the blood bank!”

 

Shikaku poked his head around the door, glanced at the gurney, then motioned for Kakashi to follow him. Kakashi wanted to argue almost as much as he wanted to run and never look back. He followed because following his training was easier.

 

On the bench outside the suite, Naruto was sandwiched between his generation's Yamanaka and Nara. Naruto had been crying and had a white knuckle grip on one of Dawn's books.

 

Naruto bounced up to stand on the bench. “Hound-chan! Is Dawn-nee-chan okay? Have they fixed her yet?”

 

Kakashi ignored the incredulous looks Shikaku and Inoichi shot him and tugged until the boy was sitting, then crouched in front of him. “Tsunade-sama and the other medics are doing their best.”

 

Naruto's face paled, but whatever he would have said was cut off when the Hokage and Jiraiya swept down the hallway. Kakashi straightened, snapping a quick salute.

 

“Report,” Sarutobi snapped. The guards behind him, including Tenzo and Genma, were rigid in response to his rage.

 

“The medics are working on her. Cat-san and I were observing, as ordered, when a...thing came out of the woods and grabbed Dawn-chan. When it attempted to bite her, there was a burst of energy, the thing was obliterated, and the blast threw the children almost 30 feet-”

 

“No we weren't,” Naruto blurted.

 

Everybody looked at him in time to see him wince and smack himself in the face.

 

“Naruto-kun? Care to explain?” Sarutobi asked when it became clear the boy wasn't going to say anything else, his ire mostly turned away.

 

Naruto glared before slumping, his shoulders coming up around his ears. “Sometimes, when Dawn-nee-chan dreams, she...moves.”

 

Kakashi had no idea what that meant. He glanced around and relaxed when no one else seemed to know what he meant, either.

 

“Miyako-san gave Dawn-nee-chan her own futon, but when she starts dreaming, she moves to my futon. While she's still asleep,” Naruto said, carefully running his fingers along the edges of the book.

 

“She sleep-walks,” Shikaku said, going with the most obvious conclusion.

 

“No,” Naruto shook his head. “I've watched her. She disappears from her futon and appears on mine. But she doesn't do it while she's awake. And she's never taken me with her.”

 

Naruto kept flexing his fist. Kakashi lightly grabbed his wrist and turned it until they could see his palm when he unfurled his fingers. A thin, white scar ran across his palm.

 

“Dawn's my nee-chan,” Naruto said earnestly, flexing his hand so that the scar showed in sharp relief.

 

A blood bond would explain how she pulled Naruto along, but not how she could shift through space and time in the first place. And more shocking was that the Kyuubi hadn't healed the paltry wound before it could scar.

 

He let go and stood, facing his hokage for orders. Naruto went back to clutching Dawn's book.

 

Sarutobi had an odd look on his face. “Children, wait here.”

 

Then he led them down the hall, Jiraiya practically vibrating beside them.

 

“Time and space,” the Sannin said, looking entirely too excited. “One tiny blood bond, and she can move another person, plus herself, through time and space.”

 

“How unfortunate that she's dying,” Inoichi said blandly, though he was glaring daggers at Jiraiya, who coughed and shifted, realizing he'd been inexcusably inappropriate.

 

“ _Anyway_ ,” he finally said, waving that away. “This could be the way to ground her seal.”

 

Inoichi suddenly seemed intrigued, but Shikaku cut in. “I'm more concerned with the fact that the thing went after the girl, not Naruto, who should be a significantly more powerful target.”

 

Sarutobi and Jiraiya exchanged a glance before the Hokage said, “Dawn-chan's different.” Something lit in Shikaku's eyes and Sarutobi held up a hand. “That is sensitive information and we won't be discussing that here. Now, we must focus on _what_ , precisely, attacked the girl and if Jiraiya's idea will allow us to stabilize her seal.”

 

A loud banging drew their attention to the operating suite. Tsunade bustled towards them and demanded, “Line up. We need blood donations.”

 

“Shouldn't you be calling the blood bank?” Jiraiya said, crossing his arms.

 

“She's rejecting everything we've pulled from there,” Tsunade said, sneering at him. “The only ones she's accepted so far have been Nohara's and mine. She's a universal receptor, so that's not a problem. We've nearly gotten the wounds healed, but if we don't get more blood into her, it won't do any good. All the regenerative techniques I've tried are failing. Her body seems to require specific blood combinations, so everybody line up and get donating!”

 

She glared at them before whirling and heading back to the suite.

 

Jiraiya sighed, slumping, but it was Inoichi who said, “Shika, take the kids to your wife, please, then get Choza and come back here.”

 

He was already rolling up his sleeve as he walked away. Shikaku heaved a sigh. “How troublesome. Not only am I going to get stuck and bled today, I'm gonna have to track you down to explain what this is all about.”

 

He shot a sharp glance at the Hokage, who nodded his head, before he slouched away.

 

The Hokage studied everyone left with him, then sighed. “Bear-san, Boar-san, go back to the playground, please, and help the police collect everything of the invader that you can find.” They bowed and left in a swirl of leaves. “Tiger-san, Crow-san, go with Naruto to the Nara compound and stay on guard.” He waited until they were gone to turn to Kakashi and Tenzo. “Cat-san, Hound-san, stay with Dawn-chan. If you want to give blood, you can, but make certain you're battle ready if necessary. Jiraiya will return once he's gathered what he needs to deal with her seal.”

 

Then, he, Jiraiya, and the only ANBU left swept away.

 

“Senpai...,” Tenzo said with a bit of warning in his voice.

 

“I know how much blood I can lose before I can't fight,” he said lightly, removing his arm guards as he moved towards the suite.

 

Tenzo sighed, but followed, removing his own guards.

 

Dawn was deathly pale against the sheets and Kakashi felt his heart lurch. She was just a baby, really, never mind that he'd been near her age when he became field active.

 

Inoichi had an I.V. hooked from his arm to hers, a dark-haired med nin hovering to make certain he didn't donate too much. The man was holding her hand and Kakashi found he could totally understand that. Never mind that Inoichi had a daughter that was nearly the same age. Dawn just had a way about making people want to protect her.

 

“You really don't know what it was?” Inoichi asked quietly, watching Kakashi like he could see straight through the mask and into his soul.

 

“I've never seen anything like it,” he answered truthfully.

 

“It looked like a thing out of legends,” Tenzo said, then shifted, uncomfortable with the sudden attention that garnered. “Like the legends of the progenitors of the Kekkei Genkai .”

 

Everybody went still, then the medics burst into motion when Tsunade started to swear. The marks on Dawn's stomach were bared again and reexamined.

 

“Shit,” Tsunade hissed, then took a finger prick and drew the girl's blood.

 

She hustled out of the room before he could ask what was wrong. He turned to Rin as the medic beside Inoichi started trying to convince him to let her unhook the I.V.

 

Rin was scowling as she ran chakra covered fingers along the marks on Dawn's belly.

 

“Nohara-san,” he said, careful to include the proper honorific.

 

She glanced at him, but continued her study of the wounds. “There's something happening, ANBU-san. A change that I've never seen before.” She looked over at the woman that was threatening to remove the I.V. via force. “Shizune-sensei, do you know what's happening?”

 

“No,” the dark-haired woman said through gritted teeth. “Yamanaka-san, you really should let me remove the I.V. You've given enough blood.”

 

Inoichi clenched his jaw, but finally removed the hand covering the needle that was sunk into his skin. Kakashi stepped up and offered his bare arm.

 

“Stubborn shinobi,” Shizune hissed but changed the needle and stuck it in his vein before shuffling Inoichi off to a corner with orange juice and cookies.

 

Kakashi wanted to laugh at the absurdity, one of Konoha's most respected interrogators forcing down cookie after cookie under the gimlet gaze of a peeved medic, but Dawn was so still and no one seemed to know what was happening.

 

Rin sighed. “She's accepting healing a little better.”

 

Shizune left Inoichi and came to hover over Dawn. “Her levels are still dangerously low.”

 

Rin frowned. “Do you feel that?”

 

Shizune ran her hands up to meet Rin's, then turned pale and darted from the room.

 

“What is it?” he asked, watching her stare after the other medic, baffled.

 

“I was checking her heart and I found an unusual knot on her bottom rib,” Rin said.

 

Tsunade burst back into the room, Shizune hot on her heels, and grimaced when she felt the knot. “That wasn't there when we started.”

 

Rin shook her head. “What is it?”

 

“I think something, like a claw or a tooth, from the attacker has bonded itself to her rib cage,” Tsunade said glumly.

 

“Then take it out,” Kakashi demanded.

 

“It's too late,” she said, folding her arms around herself. “I don't know if it's because of the gifts she brought with her to this world or if it's because of the attacker, but her DNA's changing.”

 

Kakashi's eyebrows rose and he went cold all over. “What do you mean?”

 

“None of us can possibly be related to this little girl. She's from a different world. All of the samples from when she showed up agree with me, except in one case,” she lectured. “Yet the sample I just pulled and compared to shinobi files links her to me, to Nohara, to Yamanaka, to Naruto, and probably you, now.”

 

“Her body is collecting DNA to ground her in this world,” Jiraiya said from the doorway.

 

“What is the one case?” Tenzo asked and everyone turned to look at him. “You said everything agreed, except one case. What case?”

 

“Me,” Jiraiya said, unusually sober “Another version of me sent her here. I probably used my own blood. No one here was linked to her before except me.”

 

Tsunade nodded. “So, even if we remove whatever it is, it's already too late. The changes have already started.”

 

“Her temperature is rising,” Rin said, grim.

 

Tsunade sighed. “Now, we have to see if her body will accept the Kekkei Genkai. There's nothing to be done if it won't.”

 

“How do you know Naruto is linked to her?” Kakashi asked, folding his hand gently around Dawn's.

 

“His parents' files,” she said and he looked at her, startled. She rolled her eyes. “I'm not an idiot, Hound-san. I know very well who I'm dealing with.”

 

Jiraiya cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention. “I studied the seal that Inoichi drew out for me. I believe the number of donors to make her stable in this world is 13.”

 

“Well, I guess it's a good thing we showed up, then,” Shikaku said from behind him, making Jiraiya jump and spin.

 

Shikaku and Choza stepped past him, followed by Asuma, the Sandaime, and two of his guards. Kakashi grinned, that lightheaded feeling that came from blood loss starting to creep up on him. He wasn't sure how long he'd been hooked to the I.V.

 

He cleared his throat and said, “Hokage-sama has declared that I still need to be battle ready.”

 

Shizune winced, coming around to quickly unhook him from the iv. “I'm sorry, Anbu-san, in all the commotion, I forgot.” Only years of practice kept him on his feet as she shuffled him to the corner and demanded, “Mask off.”

 

“Close the door, Jiraiya,” the Sandaime said, then looked at Kakashi. “Everybody take their masks off now.”

 

Kakashi stopped fighting her, pulling the Anbu mask off. She winced when she saw the second mask but handed him a juice and some cookies.

 

Tenzo had also reluctantly pulled off his mask, followed by Genma and Gai.

 

“Of the 13, how many more donors are needed?” Sandaime asked, hands tucked up his sleeves.

 

“Six,” Tsunade said. “The attacker, Jiraiya, Naruto, Nohara, Yamanaka, Hatake, and I have already donated, although I think Jiraiya and Naruto should do it again, just to be on the safe side.”

 

Jiraiya nodded. “One small blood bond and one alternate version of me. Yes, we should probably do it properly.”

 

Tenzo cleared his throat and held up the arm Shizune had attached the I.V. to.

 

“Five more,” Tsunade shrugged.

 

Kakashi was unsurprised when Gai stepped forward, sparkling grin at the ready and thumb held high. “It would be an Honor and a Privilege to aid this child in the Springtime of her Youth!”

 

Kakashi let out a little sigh. “Hokage help me, this means we're going to be weirdly related.”

 

Gai puffed up, beaming as a manly tear trickled down his cheek. “It will be a True Honor, my Eternal Rival.”

 

“Four more,” Tsunade said, eyebrow raised as she turned to Shikaku, Choza, Genma, Asuma, and the Sandaime.

 

“What about her?” Genma asked, pointing at Shizune.

 

“Shizune has a policy against donating to patients when other options are available,” Tsunade said, waving that away. “She feels that is creates a conflict of interest.”

 

Shikaku sighed. “Well, I'm already here. And my wife has always wanted a daughter.”

 

Choza grinned. “And that means I'll do it, too.”

 

Genma tilted his head. “I'm in.”

 

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the Hokage who sighed and nodded as he said, “And I make 13. and she'll be a Sarutobi.”

 

“I'll do it,” Asuma said, stepping up with a shrug. “That way you can claim to be avoiding favoritism and she can still be a Sarutobi.”

 

The room got a little tense, but that passed when the Sandaime nodded slowly. “That sounds like a good idea.”

 

“Well, since that's settled,” Tsunade said, propping her hands up on her hips, “Now you can all think about whether sending Dawn and Naruto back to their foster mother is the best idea.”

 

The room went still. Obviously, no one else had thought of that. They didn't mind helping the girl, even being linked to her, but taking responsibility for her and Uzumaki Naruto was asking a lot.

 

“Dawn won't leave Naruto,” Sarutobi reminded them gently. “And I don't think it wise to ask her to.”

 

“They can't go to a clan,” Asuma cut in before Shikaku could speak. “That'd reek of favoritism. The hokage can't take them for the same reason. Jiraiya-sama has business abroad that has to be maintained. Tsunade-same has already made it clear that she won't raise the girl. That leaves me, Rin, Kakashi, Yamato, Gai, and Genma. We're all active duty shinobi but there has to be a way to make this work.”

“I don't leave the village,” Rin said after a moment. “But I work a medic's hours and I'm considering a teaching position at the Academy.”

 

That last was news to Kakashi but he figured it had to do with Tsunade and all the reforms she was pushing through.

 

“If you take the Academy gig, then we'll be cutting your hospital hours, anyway,” Tsunade said, shrugging.

 

“They can live on my family compound,” Kakashi blurted. “It's been empty but a bit of cleaning and it should be fine.” He considered, then decided to hell with it. “It's big enough for all of us. That way Rin's not doing it alone and we can all still do missions if we want to.”

 

Gai started to cry from happiness. Asuma nodded. “It could work. Rotate who's out of the village, pool cash to pay for expenses, co-parent.”

 

“Two things,” Shikaku said from where he was attached to the I.V. Choza was already picking at his band aid while inhaling cookies. “One, I wasn't kidding about the daughter for my wife thing. I at least want play dates between those 2, mine, Inoichi's, and Choza's. Two, 4 of you are Anbu. You can't live with 2 kids behind a mask.”

 

Kakashi felt his heart speed up and glanced at Yamato, then Gai, and finally Genma.

 

“You can be parents _and_ be shinobi,” Inoichi said gently. “You just can't be Anbu, anymore.”

 

“So we're retiring our masks,” Kakashi said, watching the rise and fall of Dawn's chest.

 

Yamato looked a little lost because his life revolved around Anbu. Gai had followed Kakashi in. It was fitting that he followed him out.

 

“Mmm,” the Sandaime said. “You'll have six years before you're eligible for a genin team. You can use that time to build a career without the mask.”

 

Kakashi nodded, a tad numb. He wasn't altogether certain how to react to all this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! My computer has decided it doesn't want to turn on so I'm having to borrow from other people.


	4. Chapter Four: Proper Introductions

Dawn woke up feeling wrung out. Her limbs were like limp noodles, her skin was uncomfortably tacky, and she ached, head to toe. But considering the last thing she remembered was a giant maul coming at her, she was happy that she woke up at all. Because, despite not knowing how, she knew a demon when she saw one.

 

Lady Medic Rin came to hover with a relieved smile. “Dawn-chan, it's good to see you awake.”

 

“How long have I been out?” she rasped, grimacing at how scratchy her throat felt.

 

“Two days,” Rin said, smoothing her hair away from her face before lifting her up for a drink.

 

Dawn nodded after shed been laid back down. “Naruto?”

 

“Absolutely fine,” Rin assured her. “Waiting anxiously for you to wake up, but there's not a scratch on him.”

 

Dawn closed her eyes as a wave of relief hit her. He was a good boy, almost as bright and burning as the sun, but a good boy. _Her_ boy and she was happy he was fine.

 

“Thank you, Lady Medic,” Dawn said, offering her a smile.

 

Rin went still. “I've been wondering. Why do you call me that?”

 

Dawn pulled herself up to sitting, thinking, before shrugging. “Because you're a medic of high esteem who holds herself like a lady.”

 

Something about Rin's face went blank. “I see. Well, you need to rest. You'll be released when your chakra coils have recovered.” The medic came back to herself enough that she gave Dawn a stern look. “You could have killed yourself.”

 

Dawn shrugged helplessly. “I don't even know what I did.”

 

Rin's eyebrow went up. “Nonetheless. You _will not_ leave this hospital before you're fully recovered. Now, try to get some sleep. Jiraiya-sama believes he's fixed the seal that was causing your nightmares so you should be able to sleep peacefully.”

 

Dawn was about to point out that she'd just slept for two days when she yawned. So she nodded, instead, and collapsed back against the bed.

 

Rin started to leave but Dawn reached out and caught her coat, stilling her. “Will Miyako-san bring Naruto to visit later?”

 

Rin took her hand, stepping closer. “You and Naruto-kun have been moved to a different home, but I will ask that he be brought by later. _After_ a long nap.”

 

Dawn would have argued but all of her strength seemed to have left her. She nodded as her eyes drifted shut.

**** **** ****

The next time she woke up was better because she could sit up without her body fighting her. Which was great because there were four guys she'd never seen before in her room.

 

“Um...,” she said as they clustered at the foot of her bed. “Hello?”

 

“...You have no idea who we are, do you?” the guy with the mask and silver hair asked.

 

“Should I?” she asked, confused.

 

The men looked at each other, then Mr. Mask, Mr. Green, and two of the deceptively normal ones stepped back to have a hushed conversation.

 

The last guy, fiddling with an unlit cigarette, stepped around the bed to collapse into the chair beside it. “We've never met, but you know my dad. The Sandaime?” When she nodded, he held out his hand to shake. “Sarutobi Asuma. I donated blood and that apparently linked us.”

 

“What?” she said, wide-eyed with her hand frozen in mid-air.

 

“I can only speculate on why,” he shrugged, reaching forward to grasp her hand. “They don't know if the seal triggered it or if it's something you had the ability to do before you got here. They just know that the 13 donations you received changed your DNA and linked you to the donors.” She was gaping at him. She turned slowly to stare at the men across the room. “Yeah, them, too. They, um, already kind of knew you.” He leaned in and whispered, “Think masks.”

 

Dawn's eyebrows rose. Sure, Mr. Mask had one on but Asuma was talking in plural and that meant- “Ohh.”

 

“Now you've got it,” he nodded, sitting back.

 

She figured out rather quickly that Mr. Mask was actually Hound-san by the hair. Unfortunately, she'd never seen Kitty-san without his hood up and she couldn't begin to guess what mask the other guys wore.

 

They finally noticed her staring because their conversation cut off and they came back to the foot of the bed. Hound-san held out a fist and she reached towards him. He pressed a figurine into her hand and she lifted it to see a pug staring back at her and she giggled.

 

“Call me Kakashi,” he said before she could thank him.

 

“And I am Maito Guy, the Green Beast of Konoha!” the guy in the green jumpsuit said, grinning at her with the whitest teeth she had ever seen, loose fist held out to her.

 

She carefully set the pug in her lap and took the figurine he was handing her. “Aww, mousey,” she cooed, settling it beside her puppy figurine.

 

“Genma,” the next said, smiling around a needle as he sat a tiger in her palm.

 

The last guy cleared his throat and shuffled forward to hand her a cat figurine as he said, “Call me Yamato.”

 

“Where did you get these?” she asked, holding the cat up to watch the light dance along the grain

 

“I, uh, made them,” Yamato said stiffly, a flush creeping up his cheeks.

 

He was adorable. A little emotionally constipated, but adorable.

 

She smiled at him. “Awesome! Can you make a pig, too?”

 

He blinked at her, but held out his hand and a small piece of wood shot out, warping into the shape of a pig. She looked at it, feeling a little sad.

 

“What's wrong, our precious, youthful flower?” Guy boomed, concerned.

 

“I think my sister had a stuffed one,” she said as she gingerly took the pig.

 

“You remember now?” Kakashi asked, stilling.

 

“No,” she said, running her fingers over the pig's round belly. “Not really. I remember wanting a stuffed pig because my sister had one. I know that the thing that attacked me was a demon like the things in my nightmares. I think I remember dying. But I don't really remember everything and I don't think I will.” She tried to shake off her melancholy. “Can Naruto come to visit?”

 

“Shikaku-san is bringing him by later,” Asuma said.

 

“Who?” she said blankly.

 

“One of Yamanaka Inoichi's best friends,” Kakashi offered.

 

“Oh,” she nodded. “Okay. Do we know when I'm being released? Lady Medic said I wasn't going anywhere until I'm fully recovered.”

 

“That depends on how fast your chakra coils recover,” Kakashi said, hands tucked into his pockets.

 

“I can't do that at home?” she whined just a bit.

 

“Naruto isn't exactly restful,” Asuma pointed out.

 

Dawn flopped back against the bed with a huff. “Then I'm gonna need something to do. I've never slept so much in my _life_.”

 

“Really?” Yamato said, lifting and eyebrow.

 

“Well. Not that I can remember, anyway,” she said with a little shrug. She propped the figurines up on her chest.

 

The door banged open and Dawn jumped, clutching at the little wooden figures. She relaxed when she realized who it was.

 

“Jiraiya-san, Lady Medic, Madame Medic,” she said, sitting up to nod at them.

 

“Tsunade says you're going to be in the hospital for awhile, brat, so I brought you some reading material,” Jiraiya said, dropping a knapsack on her lap as everyone else tensed up.

 

She pulled out a scroll as Madame Medic Tsunade said, “You can't start her on fuuinjutsu this young.”

 

“It's just the theory,” he said, waving her off. “I've seen what she's been reading. Dawn-chan's a smart girl. I'm sure she'll pick up on it in not time.” He leaned into Dawn and muttered, “No actual trying any of it until your coils are better.”

 

Dawn nodded, pulling the sack further into her lap. “Thank you, Jiraiya-san.”

 

Jiraiya cleared his throat, then puffed up. “Considering we're linked, you can call me Jiji-sama.”

 

On one hand, Dawn wanted to ask who she was linked to. On the other, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

 

Tsunade snorted, reaching out a glowing hand to scan her. Dawn wrinkled her nose as the tickles followed the glow. “If Naruto's calling me baa-chan, she's calling you jiji-chan.” She looked down at Dawn with a slight smile. “You're healing nicely. You should be out of here in a few days.”

 

“Awesome,” she said, then broke out in a yawn. “Excuse me.”

 

Tsunade straightened. “Dawn needs to rest. Everybody out.”

 

Dawn wanted to protest but she was too tired. Tsunade moved all of her goodies onto a wheeled table, well within easy reach.

 

Jiraiya leaned in until they were almost on the same level. “I've gotta take care of some business out of town, squirt, but I'll be back in a few months.” She grimaced at him and he made a face before pulling a book out of the pack at his feet and handing it to her. “If the scrolls get to be too much.” he tapped the cover. “My first book, you know.” He tucked the book against her side, then leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Get better, squirt.”

 

“Bye, Jiji-chan,” she mumbled as he lifted his pack and headed for the door.

 

He waved before he left, a smile on his face. Dawn let herself fall asleep as Rin fussed with her blanket.

 

**** **** ****

She heard Naruto before she saw him and smiled. He was probably trying to be quiet, too. She feigned sleep as the the door cracked open, hoping to surprise him. Naruto gave that mischievous chuckle that made Miyaka-san's eye twitch and Dawn suppressed a smile. She could tell where he was by the squeak of his sandals and, when he was close enough, she lunged up saying, “Boo!”

 

He yelped, nearly toppling off the chair he was standing on. A man with his dark hair in a ponytail and some wicked scars caught him easily by his collar.

 

“Nee-chan,” Naruto whined. “How'd you know I was there?”

 

“Your shoes squeak,” she shrugged, shifting until she was sitting up comfortably. The guy set Naruto on the bed and the boy immediately curled into her side. “Are you Nara-san?”

 

He nodded, eyes bright with keen intelligence. “You can call me Shikaku, though.” He jerked his chin at the pile of scrolls on the bedside table. “What's all that?”

 

“Jiraiya- I mean, jiji left me some scrolls on fuuinjutsu and Tales of the Gutsy Ninja so I won't get bored. The figurines are...introduction presents,” she said.

 

He seemed to get what she was hinting at, there, because he smiled. “Well, I didn't bring any present.

 

“You brought me my brother,” she said, squeezing Naruto to her. “We're even.”

 

He smiled, seeming to hear everything she wasn't saying “Glad to hear it.” He jerked his thumb towards the doorway. “That's my son. Since I donated, you're kind of related now.”

 

Dawn leaned around until she could see a boy slouched against the doorway, dark hair pulled back in a spiky ponytail. She waved and he heaved a sigh before nodding to her, hands still buried in his pockets.

 

“Don't mind him,” Naruto said. “Shikamaru's just lazy.”

 

“Well,” she said as Shikaku snickered. “There are worse things to be.”

 

“I didn't bring presents, but I could teach you to play a game,” Shikaku said, watching her closely.

 

She got the feeling this guy had a knack for knowing things. She ignored Naruto's groan, clearing off the rolling table. She thrust The Tale of the Gutsy Ninja at Naruto and said, “Here. You might find this interesting.”

 

Shikaku had a knowing look on his face as he set up the board but he just said, “Shikamaru, come play against Dawn-chan.”

 

“Shogi, huh?” she said, nudging one of the pieces. She shrugged at the raised eyebrows. “Miyako-san bought me a book. She was going to teach me to play before the...attack.”

 

“Well,” Shikaku said, looking pleased. “Let's see what you've learned.”

 

What she learned, apparently, was that reading about playing shogi was easier than actually playing shogi.

 

Naruto fell asleep halfway through the game, which was a good thing because she was soundly trounced and Shikamaru subtly gloated about it.

 

Shikaku, though, seemed pleased, bright eyes keenly focused on them. “You should watch out, son, she'll be a force to be reckoned with in a few years”

 

Shikamaru's smugness faded. “What?”

 

“She held you off for an hour with just the theory of the game,” Shikaku said, delighted. “Imagine what she'll be like after she's played for a few years.”

 

Shikamaru turned back to study her, suddenly interested. “Hn. That could be fun.”

 

The door swung open, cutting them off, and waking Naruto.

 

“Uhh,” the blond girl in the doorway said, shaking her head. “They're already corrupting her with old men games.”

 

The chubby boy beside her nudged her. “If she's any good, he'll stop asking you to play with him.”

 

She looked contemplative for a moment before she sighed. “She's the only sister I'll be getting, though.”

 

“But she's my nee-chan,” Naruto said, belligerent.

 

“I _am_ your nee-chan. Blood-bond and everything,” she whispered.

 

He flushed and ducked his head before rebounding with a snicker, relaxing against her. “That surprised everybody.”

 

“Well, you're going to be Konoha's Number 1 surprising ninja someday. They'll have to get used to that eventually,” she said, ruffling his hair.

 

“Naruto's going to be Konoha's Number 1 ninja?” the girl asked dubiously.

 

Naruto puffed up but Dawn cut him off. “Of course he is. He's going to be Hokage someday.”

 

He beamed at her, absolutely thrilled.

 

“You have a lot of faith in your brother,” Shikaku said, reserved but still curious.

 

She shrugged. “There's more to a person that what you see.”

 

He seemed pleased with her answer, ruffling her hair. “I guess you'll be his chief council, then.”

 

“Of course she will be! There's nobody better,” Naruto said, leaping up and thrusting a thumbs up in his face.

 

Shikaku hesitated, then tried to pet Naruto's spiky hair down. “It's good to trust in your nee-chan that way.”

 

Naruto stared at him, wide-eyed and mouth dropped open, then nodded and plopped down beside her, still uncharacteristically quiet. Dawn vowed, yet again, to help him harmlessly menace the whole village for being dipshits and not noticing how awesome her little brother was.

 

“You all have years before you decide you want to take on that kind of responsibility,” the big man in plated armor said with a grand smile.

 

Dawn decided she liked him and beamed back at him before shrugging. “Honestly, I'll probably be a med-nin. Baa-chan and Lady Medic say that girls usually have the finer control required for that sort of thing and all ninja teams are going to be required, in the next ten years, to have a medic with the when they head out into the field.”

 

The 3 oldest men exchanged looks but the girl perked up. “Do girls really have more control?”

 

“From the studies I read while I was really sick, girls have better control because they have less chakra. Boys have more, so they're sloppy about how they use it,” Dawn said, ignoring Naruto as he heaved a sigh and flopped over into her lap, too bored to care. She twirled his spiky hair around her fingers. “There are always exceptions, but they're usually geniuses.”

 

“Except for Nara's,” Shikamaru cut in, smirking. “The Nara techniques demand excellent chakra control.”

 

Dawn shrugged. “What few Nara daughters there have been have all had better control than their male contemporaries. In fact, the Nara technique was invented by a woman.” He stared at her, floored. “It was a very thorough study. I read it to help put me to sleep.”

 

“And because the old man wanted you to learn about chakra,” Naruto said, almost asleep.

 

“And that,” she said, smiling down at him.

 

“Heavy reading for a 6 year old,” Shikaku said, very serious.

 

“I was dropped in the middle of nowhere with no memories. I wanted to find out everything I could,” she said. “And the simpler stuff for kids didn't actually tell me anything I couldn't learn from watching the people around me.”

 

“And she was too sick to move around a lot, so reading was the best she could do,” Naruto mumbled, wiggling around until he was more comfortable.

 

He started to snore as she shook her head. “I enjoy reading even when I'm not sick. I think. But it'll be nice to do more than read and sleep.” She reached out her foot and nudged Shikamaru. “You should introduce me to your friends.”

 

Shikaku smirked as Shikamaru stared at her blankly, then flushed, pointing at the people around the room as he said, “Yamanaka Inoichi and Ino, and Akimichi Choza and Choji.”

 

Dawn waved. “Nice to meet you. I'm assuming that we're related now.”

 

“You're the first to carry all 3 of the Ino Shika Cho bloodlines in at least 7 generations,” Choza said, getting a little choked up.

 

“We'll see what that combination cooks up,” she said. “Baa-chan's not sure what will become dominant and which will go dormant.”

 

“It'll definitely be interesting,” Shikaku said, reaching out to pet her hair.

 

“She's too skinny to be an Akimichi,” Choji said, stepping up so that he could scramble up beside Shikamaru. He leaned forward to stare at her eyes. “And she doesn't have the Yamanaka eyes. That just leaves Nara techniques.”

 

“She's got an unknown Kekkai Genkai, dummy. Who knows what that plus some of the weirdest genetics in Konoha will make?” Ino said, climbing up beside Dawn, careful not to shove Naruto out of the way.

 

“He's not dumb,” Dawn said soothingly, noticing Shikamaru's eyes narrowing. “He's just working with the information we have now.”

 

Ino waved that away. “All boys are dumb, but that's not what's important.” She leaned into Dawn. “When you get outta here, we get to go _shopping_.”

 

Dawn perked up as all the males besides Naruto groaned. Naruto just snorted and rolled over to starfish out over most of the bed.


	5. Chapter Five: Dog Days

Tsume didn't understand why they were having a team briefing for such an important mission in a private residence. True, Hatake Kakashi had added new footnotes to the word eccentric but that was no reason to break so far from protocol.

 

She must have glared one too many times because Hatake ran his hands through his hair, sighing. “Look, I know this is...unusual and borderline unprofessional. But everybody's either out on missions or stuck at the hospital and we can't leave them alone, can we?”

 

Tsume blinked, then shared a look with Shibi and Ranka. Seeing that they had no clue what he was babbling about, she said, “Leave who alone?”

 

“Oh, right,” he said, tension flowing out of him. “The kids. Naruto and Dawn.”

 

The demon's container and some girl? “What do they have to do with anything?”

 

“They're upstairs. Asleep,” he said, burying his hands in his pockets. “A select few others and I are their guardians, now.”

 

They fell silent as they heard a soft thump from upstairs, then the patter of swift moving feet. Hatake shifted their files until they were under a map just as a little girl skidded into the room, yukata swinging. She was a pretty little thing, all big blue eyes and waist length reddish-brown hair.

 

“There's something outside my window,” she blurted.

 

Hatake changed in a blink from lackadaisical guardian to a hardened shinobi, picking the girl up and stuffing her between Tsume and Shibi before silently stalking out of the room.

 

The girl was quiet for a moment, studying the people she'd been left with before she said, “Sir, I think you're leaking bugs.”

 

She held up a hand with a kikaichu perched on it.

 

“My apologies,” he said, bemused, as he reclaimed his ally. “My allies are curious.”

 

Dawn nodded solemnly. “I wouldn't mind but it tickles and my automatic response to tickling is to punch somebody.” She leaned in and whispered, “I broke Naruto's nose the other day.”

 

Tsume stifled a snicker and Shibi was radiating amusement.

 

“I will make certain my allies are more careful from now on,” he said, nodding to her.

 

Hatake came back in looking grim faced. “Dawn-chan, you have a visitor.”

 

“Is this one going to bite me, too?” she said belligerently, clutching Tsume's jacket.

 

“No. No, he's not going to hurt you,” he said gently. “I wouldn't let him near you if I thought he'd hurt you.”

 

“Who is it?” the girl asked after a moment's thought.

 

“You know my summons, Pakkun and the others? Well, he's their other boss,” Hatake said, glancing at Tsume before focusing on the girl. “Old Man Inu.”

 

Tsume went still. Old Man Inu. There were legends of the Inuzuka clan that said Old Man Inu had given them their first ninkin and trained them in their family jutsu. She knew Hatake had a ninkin summons contract but for Old Man Inu to show up to speak to the girl...well, that was just unheard of.

 

The girl sighed after a moment of contemplation, then slipped out from between them. She wouldn't let Hatake lift her, though, taking his hand instead and letting him lead her out to the backyard. Tsume didn't care if it was supposed to be a private affair. She followed them, Kuromaru at her heels, Shibi and Ranka slowly bringing up the rear.

 

She paid them no mind, though, too focused on the giant dog that could easily see into a second story window. She approached with a touch of reverence, knowing she was encroaching but unable to help herself.

 

Old Man Inu bent and sniffed her hair. “Hmm. An Inuzuka.”

 

She choked on her words before managing, “Head of the clan, actually.”

 

He gave her a familiar doggy grim, passed a soggy doggy tongue over her face before turning his attention to Dawn, who sidled until she was partially behind Hatake. He did the same deep inhale, ruffling the girl's hair before nodding. “So you are Hatake's new pup.”

 

Hatake shuffled a bit.

 

“Sort of,” Dawn said, stepping out from behind Hatake but not letting go of his hand. “It's a long story.”

 

“Yes, I suppose it is,” Old Man Inu said. “You will have to tell it to me one of these days. But not today, as it appears I've interrupted your slumber.” He bent until he was as close to Dawn's level as he could get. “Would you like to sign the Hatake Summoning contract with me?”

 

The girl tilted her head, glancing at Hatake before shrugging. “Sure. But why would you want me to?”

 

He studied her for a moment before giving her a doggy grin. “One day, in the future, you will answer that question for yourself. For now, let's just suffice it to say that you are the oldest Hatake of this generation and I'd like to get a jump on things.”

 

“Okay,” Dawn said, shrugging. She glanced at Hatake and murmured, “Guy's gonna be ticked.”

 

He squeezed her hand. “I'll take care of Guy. Are you ready to sign the contract?”

 

She nodded. He carefully walked her through the bloodletting and the seals and soon there were 3 puppies waddling around, tripping over their feet.

 

“You will train them in human speech and teamwork,” Old Man Inu said, watching the girl carefully. “They will occasionally return to Mount Inumaru for specialized training. But they are _your_ personal summons, your pack. And if you ever need more help than they can provide, you need only call.”

 

Then he licked the girl in the face, causing her to stumble back and fall on her bottom. Two seals were forming on her cheeks and Old Man Inu nodded before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

 

Fingers pressing into the seals on her cheeks, Dawn looked to Hatake. “Guy _and_ Rin are going to be ticked.”

 

“I've got Guy,” he said, amused. “Rin's all yours.”

 

“Well, then, you can handle Naruto, since you get the easier of the two,” she said, snuggling the tiniest pup, looking quite pleased with herself.

 

Hatake spluttered but apparently couldn't argue.

 

Tsume finally broke out of her fugue state and gracefully dropped to her knees beside the girl. “Let's see what you've got, Squirt.” She lifted each pup, checking ears, teeth, paws. “A good selection,” she finally concluded, handing the girl back the smallest pup. “A natural tracking unit.”

 

A wave of killing intent had them all spinning. Nobody really relaxed when they recognized Nohara Rin.

 

“ _What_ is going on here?” she bit out, glaring at Hatake.

 

Dawn hurried forward and leaned into the woman's legs. “Old Man Inu came to visit and had me sign a contract and gave me _puppies_.”

 

That came out a great deal more excited than the girl had been, but Nohara immediately relaxed, smiling at the girl as she ran a hand over her head. “I see that. But aren't you supposed to be in bed?”

 

“Yeah,” the kid shrugged. “But when a giant dog pops up outside your window, it's kinda hard to sleep.”

 

“I bet,” Nohara said, lifting the girl, pug and all. “But now that he's gone, it's time for bed.”

 

The girl sighed but turned to croon, “Come on, babies, bedtime.”

 

Tsume watched them go before raising an eyebrow at Hatake, who shrugged and said, “They followed me home one day and Rin said I could keep them.”

 

She snorted. “Come on, brat, we've got a mission to finish prepping.”

 

^^^

Almost a week later, Tsume poked her head into the room the nurse had sent her to. Hatake was lying prone while the girl read to him and a blond kid it took her a moment to realize was the Kyuubi's container poked through every cabinet and drawer in the room.

 

Dawn looked up, falling silent, and Tsume shrugged, coming in. “I was just coming to see how our fearless leader was doing.”

 

“I'm fine,” Hatake said, crinkling an eye at her. “Rin brought the kids to visit, then got pulled away by an emergency.”

 

Tsume raised an eyebrow, reading between the lines. “I see. Why don't I take the kids with me and when Nohara gets done, you can send her to my house? Since I'm sure you're supposed to be sleeping and all.” That last bit cut off Dawn's protest as she looked worriedly down at her guardian. “You can play with my kids. My son Kiba is your age, in fact.”

 

“New playmates. Won't that be fun?” Hatake said, eye smiling at his ward.

 

Dawn sighed, petting his mess of silver hair. “Fine. We'll go make new friends. But you have to listen to the medics and behave.”

 

“Who's the adult here?” he asked, eyebrow raised.

 

“Sometimes I wonder.” She shook her head before smiling at him.

 

Tsume laughed, loud and long. “Well, let's go, brats. Hatake needs sleep.”

 

Dawn nodded, hopping off the bed. “Come on, Naruto, let's go make friends.” The girl stuck her head under the bed and crooned, “C'mon, Bean, let's go.

 

The pug pup wriggled out from under the bed as Naruto bounded over, more energy than any kid should have.

 

Dawn still looked worried, even as they approached the Inuzuka compound. Tsume decided to try to allay that fear. “You know, Hatake's gonna be fine.”

 

“Oh, I know,” the girl nodded. “But still. Chakra Exhaustion _sucks_.”

 

Tsume raised an eyebrow at her even as she snagged Naruto's collar to keep him from running at the guard's ninkin. “Personal experience?”

 

“So much,” Dawn rolled her eyes. “It was horrible.”

 

“Nee-chan almost _died_ ,” Naruto said, squirming in her grip. She lightly shook him like a wayward pup and he relaxed. “Twice.”

 

Tsume passed Naruto off to Kuromaru as she looked down at Dawn, who mouthed, “Three times.”

 

Tsume signaled for Kuromaru to take a squirming Naruto ahead and lifted Dawn up to her hip, because why the hell not.

 

“You can't say stuff like that to shinobi without explaining. We're either born nosy or trained to paranoia,” she said, shifting Bean so she wasn't squashed between them.

 

Dawn stared at her with eyes entirely too mature for her age. She reached out to trace the thin spiral inside the crimson fangs on Tsume's cheeks, a gift from Old Man Inu before she traced the same spirals on her own cheeks in Nohara purple.

 

“What do you think these mean?” Dawn asked instead of answering her.

 

“They mean I'm sure as hell not leaving it to Hatake to teach you how to deal with ninkin,” Tsume said bluntly.

 

Dawn nodded. “So I'm sort of your protege.”

 

“Sure,” Tsume shrugged. “If you want to think of it that way.”

 

Dawn stared at her with those disconcerting, too-adult eyes before she nodded and looked around at the Inuzuka that were pretending to go about their day and not be nosing into their clan leader's business. “Will they keep my secrets?”

 

Everybody stopped moving and looked at the girl. Everyone in Konoha knew, objectively, that the Inuzuka had better senses than other shinobi but they tended to ignore it or not realize the extent of them. For this mere slip of a child to not only realize but to understand what that meant was surprising.

 

A clan elder nodded at Tsume and she said gruffly, “Yes, they will.”

 

So the girl spun a tail of first memories in forests and being bitten by a Kekkei Genkai progenitor and how a visit from a legendary creature was one of the calmest weird experiences she'd had since she was dropped in Konoha. Threaded through all of it was terror and resignation and exhaustion and Tsume wasn't surprised when the girl finally sighed and laid her head on her shoulder.

 

“But I'm on the upswing, now,” Dawn mumbled.

 

Tsume carded her fingers through the girl's hair. “Of course you are, brat.”

 

Her clansmen silently disappeared and Tsume followed indignant shrieks and rollicking laughter to her home. Naruto stopped fighting with Kiba and Kuromaru as soon as he saw Dawn in her arms.

 

“Nee-chan?” he asked, wary and nervous, like his entire world hinged on this one little girl's well being.

 

Dawn lifted her head and said, “Tsume-senpai's going to teach me about ninkin.”

 

Naruto crossed his arms with a pout, still swaying in Kuromaru's grasp. “That's not fair. I want a ninkin, too.”

 

“That contract's already signed, but maybe you'll get a summons of your own one day,” Tsume said, giving in to the kid's good nature. Whatever influence the demon fox had over the boy seemed fairly harmless and she'd never understood the Elder's stance on him. For the boy to love and be loyal to Konoha, Konoha should love and be loyal to him. “Ninkins aren't the only kind of summons out there.”

 

She squatted to let Dawn down as Naruto contemplated that then grinned and shot her a bright, foxy smile. “I'll have the most amazing summons in all of Konoha one day! Believe it!”

 

Kuromaru dropped him on his ass with a huff and said, “You'll probably take up with toads. You're exactly the type.”

 

“Jiji-chan has the toad contract,” Dawn cut in. “And he's pretty powerful.”

 

'Pretty powerful.' The man was _legendary_.

 

“I'll have toads,” Naruto declared as Dawn brushed his backside off.

 

“It'll probably be awhile before he has time to properly summon them,” Dawn said, wiping drool off his shirt. “We'll just work on your power flow problems until then.” He grimaced at her and she patted his cheeks. “We all have our flaws. Working on them makes us better shinobi.”

Tsume would bet anything his problem was demon fox related. To keep that thought at bay, she snatched Kiba up by his collar and presented him to the kids.

 

“Dawn, Naruto, this is my brat, Kiba. He'll be starting the Academy with you in just a little while,” she said, nudging her son forward. He was being weirdly quiet.

 

“Do you really have ninkin?” He finally blurted, voice cracking at the end.

 

Tsume winced. She recognized very well the first signs of puppy love and she was pretty sure it was going to end in heartbreak.

 

“Three,” Dawn said, showing him Bean. “The other two are busy with lessons right now.”

 

“Are they that small, too?” Kiba asked dubiously.

 

Tsume watched, amused, as Dawn narrowed her eyes and Bean's hackles raised. Kiba was about to learn a very important lesson about both girls and ninkin.

 

Instead of answering him, Dawn did the summoning, not looking the least bit surprised when her 2 other pups were accompanied by 3 grown ninkin that were more wolf than hound and made her house feel tiny.

 

Kiba stumbled, his mouth hanging open, and Hana burst into the room, the 3 Haimaru Brothers hot on her heels. Tsume held up a hand, stilling their attack.

 

“Are you in need of aid, Dawn-chan?” the tallest of the bunch asked, ready to attack.

 

“Kiba wanted to see if my other ninkin were as small as Bean,” Dawn said, crossing her arms.

 

Tsume was pretty sure, by the patch of white around her eye and the long claw marks down both sides that this was Inuka, second daughter of Old Man Inu and a warrior of some renown. For her to come to this girl's call...well, Tsume was glad the girl had decided Tsume was her senpai

 

Inuka looked at Kiba and raised a stark white brow. “Dawn-chan's pack are still pups, like Dawn herself, but she can summon the whole of Mt. Inu is she so desires.”

 

Dawn flushed as Kiba gaped like a fish. “I can't actually do that, yet,” she said hurriedly.

 

“But one day, you will,” Inuka said, looking at the girl fondly.

 

And damned if that didn't have the ring of prophecy to it. Tsume resisted the urge to shiver as Inuka's gaze found her, passing briefly over Hana, the triplets, and Kuromaru.

 

Dawn bounced over to grab Tsume's hand. “Tsume-senpai's going to teach me about ninkin.”

 

That bright, over-cheerful smile was a distraction technique and something in Inuka's sad doggy smile said she knew it well.

 

“As the leader of the Inuzuka clan, that's only to be expected,” Inuka said before letting her eyes roam the room again. “Are these pups yours, Tsume-chan?”

 

Tsume blinked. Only the elders of the clan and, occasionally when he was feeling nostalgic, the Hokage had the brass to call her chan these days.

 

“Kiba and Hana are,” she finally managed. “Naruto is Dawn-chan's brother.”

 

Inuka stuck her nose against Naruto's belly and inhaled, making him squeak. She pulled back with a satisfied smirk. “So he is.” She turned that gimlet gaze on Kiba. “I see your sister's pack. Where's your ninkin?”

 

Kiba's face burned. “I haven't gotten one, yet.”

 

Inuka stepped into him and Tsume tensed. “Then who are you to judge another's pack, pup?”

 

Kiba swallowed, hard, eyes wide. “I-I was just wondering because her first one was so small.”

 

“She's small, yes, but her teeth are just as sharp,” Inuka said and Bean bared some admittedly sharp little teeth. “And all that call Mt. Inu home are of equal value to their pack leader, regardless of size.” She backed off and Kiba took a deep breath. “You'll learn, one day.” And she turned and nuzzled Dawn's cheek. “Lessons are over for today. We will see you again.”

 

Then she and the 2 other ninkin disappeared in a puff of smoke. Bean joined his pack mates on the floor for a yippy conversation.

 

Dawn turned to Tsume with a shrug. “I've decided that if I'm not bleeding out or half dead, it's a good kind of weird.”

 

Tsume considered the story Dawn had told her and the events of the day and nodded. “That's probably a good idea.”

 

Kiba silently crept closer until Dawn pressed a fingertip to the middle of his forehead, turning to look at him.

 

“I think we should get married,” he said, eyes lit with awe.

 

Tsume and Hana barked a laugh as Dawn rolled her eyes and shoved him away from her. “I'm 6 and not the least bit interested.”

 

He pouted for a moment before his gaze turned wily. “Our parents could arrange a marriage.”

 

Dawn shook her head, looking terribly amused. “You don't even know who my family is.” He raised an eyebrow at her, daring her to beat clan leader's son. “I'm _Sarutobi_ Dawn, oldest daughter of Sarutobi Asuma, the Hokage's second son. I have ties to the Hatake, the Nohara, the Nara, the Yamanaka, the Akimichi, and the Uzamaki cans, as well as two of the legendary Sanin, a taijutsu master, and the laziest, most undercover awesome shinobi you'll never meet. I promise you, _nobody's_ gonna make me do anything I don't want to do.”

 

Unfortunately for Dawn, Kiba's awed look turned into one of resolution. “Then I'll have to convince you to _want_ to.”

 

Tsume snorted, drawing their attention. “Nobody's getting married before they turn 18, so you better focus on goals you can reach sooner.”

 

“Like becoming a Genin,” Dawn said helpfully. “I probably won't be allowed to marry anyone that isn't an awesome shinobi.”

 

“Then I guess I'll just have to become the best,” Kiba said, smiling smugly. “Inuzuka are born leaders, anyway.”

 

“We'll see,” Dawn said dubiously.

 

All of the dogs suddenly stood at attention as they faced the door, the youngest 3 wagging their tails so hard they nearly fell over. The knock surprised no one except Naruto.

 

Tsume opened the door and warily backed away so that Nohara could enter. She wasn't _afraid_ of the woman, no. She just respected the reputation she'd managed to carve out before the Hokage decided the hospital needed her more than the field. That she carried the Sanbi, the demon turtle, might have had a little bearing, too.

 

Naruto flung himself at Nohara's legs and Dawn perked up, letting go of Tsume to go to Nohara.

 

“Did you have fun?” Nohara asked, petting Naruto's hair as she took Dawn's hand.

 

“Kiba wants to marry nee-chan, but she thinks he's a turd bucket,” Naruto announced, wide, happy grin lighting his face.

 

“I never called him anything,” Dawn sighed. “I just told him no. Firmly.”

 

“As long as you were polite,” Nohara said indulgently.

 

Kiba, who'd been standing stiffly staring at Nohara, straightened his shoulders and crossed his arms. “But I'm gonna make her wanna marry me. I'm going to be the best shinobi of our generation.”

 

Nohara stared him down until he started to shrink in on himself, then sank down onto her knees in front of him, ignoring Dawn and Naruto cuddling in, and took his chin between 2 fingers. “You becoming an amazing shinobi is good for Konoha and your future. But Dawn-chan will only be allowed to marry a man that respects her and is kind to her. Do you think you can be that kind of man?” Kiba looked as serious as Tsume had ever seen him as he nodded. “Then, if you grow up to be that kind of man and if Dawn-chan decides you're the man for her, I will give you my blessing.”

Dawn sighed as Kiba grinned, delighted, and Tsume bit back a laugh.

 

Nohara rose, a child in each arm, and nodded to Tsume. “Thank you for watching them. I forget that I'm not allowed to visit sick friends.”

 

“The hazards of being the second best medic nin in the Five Elemental Countries,” Tsume said, shrugging. “And it was no problem.”

 

“Yeah,” Nohara sighed, then shifted the kids on her hips. “Well, I'm sure we'll see you around.”

 

“Bet on it,” Tsume said as she showed them out.

***

 

Tsume made it a point to visit Hatake again before he was released from the hospital. He was at least able to sit up and hold one of his naughty novels.

 

“So,” she said, hands tucked into her flack jacket pockets. “Interesting kids you got.” He started to protest and she waved him off. “Don't even. I've seen you and Nohara with them. They're yours, regardless of how much of your blood is flowing through their veins.”

 

He finally nodded. “Thank you.”

 

“Uh huh,” she said, smirking. “Let's see if you thank me after this. Dawn-chan declared me her senpai in front of Inuka.” He closed his eye with a long sigh. “Yeah. So, from now until they graduate to Genin, drop them off once a week for lessons.”

 

“Even Naruto?” He asked guardedly.

 

“Even the brat,” she said easily. “We'll try to help with his little power flow issues. Besides, I have serious doubts about Dawn being willing to leave him behind and he can keep Kiba out of hair while we work.”

 

“Deal,” he said after a moment of studying her.

 

Tsume grinned, all teeth. “I'll even keep the marriage talk to a minimum.”

He groaned, thumping his head back against his pillow. “Save a life and this is the thanks I get.”

 

Tsume laughed at him. “Welcome to the wonderful world of parenting.”

 

He whipped his smut up in front of his face, intent on ignoring her, and she shook her head. She'd let him win, this time. He had saved her life, after all.


	6. Chapter Six: Recognition

Iruka expected a lot of things from his visits to the Hokage but to walk in to see giggling children cuddled on his lap had never been one of them. The Sandaime was an untouchable paragon of wisdom. He wasn't meant for _cuddling_.

 

Then Iruka narrowed in on the thin blond boy with whisker marks on his cheeks. The _demon fox_.

 

Something must have shown on his face because the boy stopped laughing and shrank back, the girl stood on the desk with her arms crossed, glaring, and the Sandaime looked thoroughly disappointed in him. It was one of the worst moments of his life, truth be told.

 

Then the girl narrowed her eyes at him, hopped back into the Hokage's lap, and latched onto the boy. “C'mon, Naruto.”

 

He allowed her to tug him along and they disappeared under the desk. Iruka got flashes of orange and sky blue clothing and muffled giggles started up after a few seconds. He hadn't traumatized a child, at the very least.

 

“Iruka, we may need to postpone our meeting for a few minutes,” the Sandaime said a little stiffly.

 

Iruka kind of wanted to die.

 

“Don't do it on our account, jiji-sama,” the girl said, causing Naruto to cackle.

 

“Yeah, Old Man, we're fine,” Naruto said happily.

 

“I apologize, Hokage-sama,” Iruka said, bowing, a bit shocked. “I was surprised to see children here.”

 

Sandaime looked like he knew exactly what had surprised him and there was a soft snort from under the desk.

 

“Nee-chan?” he heard Naruto whisper.

 

There was a scrambling sound, then 2 pairs of blue eyes peered at him over the edge of his desk. “Well, since you just weren't prepared for children, that's okay, then,” the girl said and a child her size shouldn't know how to use sarcasm that effectively.

 

The Hokage settled his hand on her head and said, “Iruka, this is Sarutobi Dawn, my granddaughter. I believe she and Naruto-kun will be in your class this year.”

 

Granddaughter to the Sandaime and sister to the jinchuuriki. That was an interesting pedigree, right there.

 

Iruka bobbed his head. “It's nice to meet you, Dawn-chan, Naruto-kun. Are you looking forward to attending the Academy?”

 

“Yeah!” Naruto said, bouncing excitedly and Iruka couldn't help but smile.

 

“Not particularly,” Dawn said, shrugging. “Naruto-kun is a kinetic learner with chakra control issues, which means I'm probably going to have to teach him everything when we get home because I doubt the teachers are going to be patient enough.”

 

The look she gave him made Iruka flush. No six-year-old understood people that well unless they were geniuses. He slid a glance to the Hokage to see him staring at the girl with an odd sort of exasperated indulgence.

 

“I'm sure the Academy teachers will be kind and understanding of both of those facts, Dawn-chan,” the Hokage said, running a hand over her hair.

 

“Doesn't matter,” Dawn said. “I'll teach him if I have to and he'll still be an awesome shinobi.”

 

“The awesomest!” Naruto proclaimed, staring at the girl with stars in his eyes.

 

It was painfully obvious to Iruka, right then, that Dawn was the only person to extend that kind of faith and patience to the boy. And that he _was_ just a boy. No demon could look at someone like they hung the moon.

 

“Naruto-kun learns better through movement?” Iruka asked, tilting his head to study the boy.

 

“He's not much for books and he doesn't have the attention span for long lectures,” Dawn said. “But he has excess energy and a willingness to keep trying until he gets it right. So, yes, he learns better through doing.”

 

That ability to assess weaknesses and strengths. He glanced at the Hokage and saw that he knew exactly what his granddaughter was.

 

The door crashed open and both kids shouted, “Baa-chan,” and streaked for the woman in the doorway.

 

The blood rushed from his face and he felt faint. The Great Sanin Senju Tsunade sighed but stooped and picked up the children begging for her attention.

 

“Have any trouble with the Brats, Sensei?” Tsunade-sama asked, glancing at Iruka.

 

“Of course not,” the Sandaime said indulgently. “Dawn-chan showed me her wall-walking and explained her idea to help Naruto-kun with his difficulties.”

 

“Chakra spindling,” Tsunade nodded. “It's a clever little idea if we can get it to work.”

 

“Hmm,” the Sandaime nodded. “And Naruto-kun told me all about his taijutsu lessons.”

 

Tsunade-sama rolled her eyes. “Gai's very enthusiastic about teaching. I pity his eventual Genin team.”

 

“I'm sure we'll find one perfectly suited for Gai's ways,” the Sandaime said, smiling.

 

“I've gotta get the squirts home,” Tsunade-same said, patting their legs. “Rin and the rest of the motley crew are meeting us there.”

 

Surely she didn't mean Nohara Rin. That was just...

 

A knock had him turning and his brain stalled. Genma waved congenially.

 

“Uh, Lady Tsunade, I thought it was my turn to pick them up?” Genma asked, rubbing the heads of the kids that had attached themselves to his legs.

 

“It would be but _you_ are supposed to be in the hospital,” she said, raising an eyebrow.

 

“I was released about 10 Minutes ago,” Genma said, grimacing at her as the children started fretting in his general direction. “And I'm _fine_.”

 

What the ever loving hell was going on?

 

Genma was a friend, a _good_ friend of Iruka's and, while he'd known Genma was in the hospital after a training accident, no one had said _anything_ about him having connections to Dawn or Naruto. It did explain some of his weirder behavior here of late, though. The leaving bars early, moving out of his bachelor accommodations and not telling them about where he was staying, showing up with finger paint on his vest.

 

“Genma-nisan, you're really okay?” Dawn said dubiously, eyeing him closely.

 

“Rin-sama released me herself,” Genma said, ignoring Iruka's bewildered staring.

 

Dawn nodded, satisfied with that, then gave Iruka a glance. “I'm sure we'll be seeing you soon, Iruka-sensei.”

 

Genma lifted an eyebrow at the girl's reserved tone, but nodded at Iruka as the kids towed him out of the room.

 

Iruka turned to see the Hokage and Tsunade-sama watching him. “ _What_ is going on?” he blurted, then flushed, bowing. “I'm sorry, but I'm very confused.”

 

The Sandaime chuckled. “Dawn-chan has the affect on everyone.” He sobered with a sigh. “She and Naruto-kun were actually part of the reason I wanted to speak with you today. I'm sure you've heard about the changes being made at the Academy.”

 

Changes? At the-

 

Iruka straightened. “Sandaime-sama, Tsunade-sama, your granddaughter shows signs of being a genius. I'm not sure why you would push through laws that would mean she couldn't graduate early among other things.

“Konoha is not at war at the moment. There is no need to push our children out into the field any earlier than we have to. We can _let_ them be children while they grow into themselves and their roles as shinobi.”

 

“Besides,” Tsunade-sama cut in, her arms crossed under her ample bosom. “I believe the decision was helped along bu a study you conducted that said early graduation frequently leads to a early grave.”

 

Iruka flushed. He conducted the study in the process to become an accredited teacher, years before he dealt with his own students. He hadn't realized anyone had actually paid any attention to it.

 

“And besides that,” the Sandaime said, shaking his head. “Dawn-chan refuses to leave Naruto-kun alone. She believes that he will do better with someone there that knows how to curb his more energetic impulses.”

 

“She doesn't trust the teachers to treat him fairly,” Iruka said, feeling a little sad that he'd helped enforce that belief.

 

“She has seen well enough how the people of Konoha treat her brother,” the Sandaime said, suddenly looking terribly old. “She doesn't know _why_ but she's seen enough not to trust just anyone with him.”

 

“She'll get bored,” Iruka said, stepping away from that. “She'll get frustrated from having to keep the same pace as the other children.”

 

“Dawn-chan has a knack for entertaining herself,” Tsunade-sama countered. “She's a smart girl who knows how to study by herself.”

 

“Yes,” the Sandaime sighed, making Iruka's eyebrows go up. “Jiraiya-kun has already started her on fuuinjutsu.”

 

Iruka's brain stuttered. “ _What_?”

 

“The theory only, for now, but likely one day she and Naruto will both rival the Forth in skill at fuuinjutsu. At least if Dawn-chan has anything to say about things.”

 

Iruka had a feeling Dawn-chan had something to say about everything. Tsunade-sama's snort confirmed it.

 

“You already know that I agree that keeping Dawn-chan and other genius children at the Academy if for no other reason than they need to learn to socialize,” Iruka said carefully. “I even agree with the other changes to the Academy. But none of that really explains what's going on.”

 

They both stared at him for a moment before Tsunade-sama sighed and said, “Stop stalling, Sensei. You've already decided to tell him.”

 

Iruka knew why the Sandaime was having second thoughts so he carefully, “Sandaime-sama, if there is something I need to know about Dawn-chan or Naruto-kun that will help me teach them, please tell me. I want to help them become the best shinobi they can be.”

 

The Sandaime must have heard the sincerity in his voice because he relaxed and started talking. The story was horrifying and fantastical and he only believed them because they were 2 of the most powerful shinobi in the world.

 

Naruto, the lonely orphan that reminded Iruka so much of himself, and Dawn, a girl out of space and time, blood bonded by choice.

 

“So Dawn-chan is Genma's...” Iruka trailed off, trying to follow the trail of information to something logical but drawing a blank.

 

“I believe Genma, Gai, Yamato, and Asuma have taken on the benevolent uncle role, although I still consider her to be my granddaughter,” Hokage said.

 

“Which is fair enough,” Tsunade said, shrugging. “Dawn's DNA shows that she's very much still the girl she showed up as, but seems to carry an equal contribution from each of the 13 donors.

 

“13...?” Iruka said, going over what he'd been told.

 

Tsunade slid her eyes to the Sandaime, then shrugged. “The Kekkai Genkai forerunner...”

 

Of course they'd told him she'd been bitten but he hadn't realized the extent of the damage done.

 

“Do we know what it does? Her Kekkei Genkai?” He asked, deciding not to think about the fact that Dawn and Naruto had more in common than he'd figured.

 

“Not a clue,” Tsunade shrugged. “Another reason she isn't a good candidate for early graduation. Everyone feels that Dawn would be better off having enough time to discover what it is in a stable environment instead of in the field.”

 

“Dawn-chan is going to walk through life with a very large target on her back,” Sandaime said solemnly. “She is not only the carrier of a brand new Kekkei Genkai; she has ties to six important clans. I believe she has already inherited the Hatake summoning contract.”

 

Iruka kneaded his brow. “So not only am I going to have Inuzuka ninkin in class, but Dawn-chan's as well.”

 

The Sandaime smiled benevolently. “And it will be of great benefit to our future shinobi and to Konoha.” He sobered. “I trust you to do all you can to ensure Dawn-chan and Naruto-kun's education is a complete one.”

 

“If I have to tutor him myself, I will,” Iruka promises. “But I get the feeling Dawn-chan's mostly in my care because she won't leave Naruto-kun.”

 

“Partially true,” the Sandaime nodded. “But she has a lot she could learn from you.”

 

Tsunade snorted. “The kid's already paranoid and her only allegiance is to people she considers hers. She'll fight for Konoha because they do, but she holds no love for the place that has so thoroughly ostracized her brother.”

 

“That's fair,” Iruka nodded. “Not the best outlook for a future shinobi of Konoha, but fair. I'll do my best to help instill the Will of Fire in her.”

 

“Then that is all I can ask of you,” the Sandaime said and Iruka understood a dismissal when he heard one, bowing to each of the legendary shinobi before leaving.

***

Iruka slowed to a stop upon catching site of the pair of ninkin on his doorstep. Both pugs, one younger and obviously looking to the older one for instructions, stood when they saw him.

 

“The boss and the brats figure it's about time to invite you and Genma's other friends over for a meal at the Hatake compound. Food hits the table at 6 sharp.”

 

They disappeared in a puff of smoke and Iruka fought the urge to pull his hair. It was very, very clear that he was the only one they were going to bother delivering the message to and that everybody was still expected to show.

 

He breathed out slowly, then turned to go find friends that he and Genma had in common. If it was being left to him to play messenger, he was going to be as thorough as possible.

 

***

By the time he and several others reached the gates of the Hatake compound, Iruka felt like murdering someone. He was a Chuunin. He could do that. Unfortunately, everyone he knew was just as, if not more, deadly as he was and the house he was heading into was filled with the next generation's legends, which meant they were all crazy and powerful.

 

“So, we're finally going to learn what Genma's deal is, huh?” Anko asked, fidgeting as they waited.

 

“Yes,” Iruka said with finality. He was _not_ going to be the one explaining things.

 

A sigh came from the dark followed by a girlish giggle. Genma stepped out of the dark with Dawn-chan on his shoulders.

 

“I _told_ you Iruka-sensei was too practical to talk about something when he doesn't have all the answers,” Dawn-chan said, squeezing her arms around his neck.

 

“A man's allowed to hope, Dawn-chan,” Genma said easily as he opened the gates for them. “ _Especially_ when something like this is sprung on him at the last minute.”

 

“Hey, if I have to make friends, _you_ have to work on fixing things with yours,” she said, smishing his cheeks. Genma must have been used to it because he didn't lose his senbon.

 

“Nothing's broken,” Genma said, eyeing his friends.

 

“A little dented, though,” Dawn-chan said with one last pat of his cheeks before she monkeyed her way off his shoulders. “I'll let everyone know they're here.”

 

She ran off and Iruka raised an eyebrow. “I wasn't actually sure how much I _could_ say.”

 

“None of it's classified, as far as I know,” Genma said as the others perked up.

 

He explained as they walked towards the only house lit up in the compound. Two kids with untold powers. A house full of crazy jounin. A weird, patchwork family that mostly worked because one smiling little girl willed it to.

 

He left plenty of things out but Iruka didn't blame him. Space and time travel, new Kekkai Genkai, and Hatake summoning contracts were a lot to take in. Besides, it was rude to out one shinobi's gifts to another.

 

“It's good,” Genma finished with. “It works. It's different, but I like it.”

 

“Basically, a permanent protection detail,” Kotetsu said, grimacing.

 

“Isn't that what all parenting is about?” Genma asked as he opened the door to the house.

 

The cacophony of noise that hit them sent the others reeling. Genma'd had weeks to get used to it and Iruka was a teacher. This as small potatoes where he was concerned.

 

“They're certainly lively,” he commented, giving the others time to collect themselves.

 

“They have visitors,” Genma said grimly and Iruka understood as soon as they walked into the room.

 

Instead of 2 kids, there were 7. An Aburame, Inuzuka, Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka were contributing to the noise Dawn-chan and Naruto-kun were making.

 

“Twice a week, rain or shine, my house is invaded,” Genma said.

 

“At least there's not 30 of them,” Iruka pointed out as a minor disaster cascaded around the room, dogs yowling, kids running, and something in the not-too-far distance breaking.

 

“And only for a couple of hours,” Genma said gratefully.

 

Dawn collided with his legs. “But not toni-ight,”

 

She slipped away as he asked weakly, “...what?” He turned and shouted into the kitchen, “Nohara, what the hell does she mean they're not leaving in a couple of hours?!”

 

Iruka felt everyone go still behind him as Nohara Rin stepped out of the kitchen and said placidly, “It's Dawn-chan's birthday. They're spending the night.

 

Genma looked horrified and Iruka felt a laugh bubble up. Nohara sent him a cool, knowing look and he lost it.

 

“Just wait until next week,” Nohara said without mercy. “We'll have to attend at least 3 clan dinners, possibly 4 if the Sarutobi's decide to have one for her.”

 

The horrified look kicked up a notch and the rest of their friends joined Iruka in laughing at him. They may not really understand what was going on but Genma in a formal yukata having to toe the line was always hilarious.

 

Dawn-chan appeared again, Naruto hovering behind her. “You don't have to if you don't want to.”

 

The way she said it made it clear she expected him not to show and that she was at least a little okay with that.

 

Genma squatted and shifted her barrette as he said, “Unless there's a mission only I can take, I'll be there. For all of it.”

 

Dawn smiled as Naruto bounced. “And it's only going to be one really big barbecue because I talked Papa, Pops and Dad out of the separate formal dinners. There's just not enough time for fittings and stuff.

 

She looked innocent enough to Iruka but Naruto giggled and Genma ruffled her hair. “That's my girl.”

 

“Oh, I _like_ this one,” Anko said, elbowing her way forward to bend over in front of the girl. “You want to see a trick?”

 

The snake that shot out of her sleeve, causing the other kids to scream, was skewered on the end of something terribly pointy.

 

Everybody went still as Dawn calmly twisted her wrist, prying the blade loose, then swiped downward, lopping off its head in one clean move.

 

“Sorry,” Dawn shrugged at Anko. “I don't like things coming at my face.”

 

Anko stared at her for a moment, then chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Perfectly understandable, brat. But why'd you take off its head?”

 

“Mercy,” Dawn said, cleaning her blade with a rag that came from the same place as the blade. “No need for it to suffer.”

 

Genma shook himself out of his stupor and shouted, “Nohara! ,i>Somebody left Dawn-chan with weaponry unattended again.”

 

There was a yelp from the kitchen, then Hatake slunk out, trying to smooth his wild, fly away hair. He eye smiled at them as he lifted Dawn up to perch on his shoulder, the blade disappearing somewhere on his person before he lifted Naruto up onto his hip. “Who wants cake?”

 

The kids all scrambled towards the kitchen as Genma said, “Don't give them sugar! They'll never calm down!”

 

And, for whatever reason, that was what made Iruka relax. Genma was adjusting to his new crazy, the kids had a great support system, and Dawn-chan had years to become accustomed to Konoha and the Will of Fire. They would guide her well.


	7. Chapter Seven: Happy, Happy

Dawn thought life was pretty good. The nightmares and the memories that weren't quite hers unsettled her occasionally. Her Otousans seemed happy enough that she was mature for her age. And her weird array of brothers and sisters helped pass the time when her guardians were too busy to give out lessons on chakra and medical jutsu, taijutsu and kenjutsu, fuuinjutsu and ninkin.

She didn't talk about the things she saw or heard, things she had no business knowing

She didn't saying anything until she woke up choking on a scream. She scrambled up and thundered down the stairs. Every adult in the house appeared in the living room. Her breathing faltered when she counted and came up missing 2.

“Breathe, Dawn-chan,” Rin said soothingly. “Just breathe and tell us what's wrong.”

“Where's Gai and Genma?” she asked, trying to swallow down her panic. “They were here when I went to bed. Are they with Aoba-san and Raido-san?”

Rin's petting hands stilled. “They're out. They're working. They might be with Aoba and Raido, I don't know for certain.”

“You have to find them,” Dawn said with absolute conviction. “Go find them, Nee-chan. Please go find them.”

She was annoyed and a little ashamed when she started to cry. Shinobi didn't cry and girls living their second lives shouldn't, either.

“They should be home soon,” Rin said, swiping away her tears. “They were supposed to be back before you left for your first day of school.”

“They're _hurt_ , Nee-chan,” Dawn sobbed. “They're hurt real bad. Even Gai, although he's trying to carry them all home. You need to _find them_. Before the guys that keep popping out of the rocks do.”

She wailed the last into Rin's shoulder, so she shouldn't know that Kakashi and Asuma went still, that the look in Rin's eyes changed but she did, in the back of her mind. Like she knew Naruto rolled over in his sleep and Baa-chan was 3 bottles deep in her cups and Gai had finally fallen to his knees.

She pulled back, weeping, grabbed Rin's cheeks, and said, “Please, nee-chan.”

That image of Gai falling kept playing through her mind, his teammates scattering around him. And that was just so wrong because Gai was too passionate to fall, too willing to push himself beyond his boundaries. He didn't fall; he just didn't.

Rin blinked clouded eyes, then stood, turning to the others “Asuma, wake your father and let him know. Then pack for a rescue mission. Dawn-chan, do you think you can summon someone to walk you and Naruto-kun to the Nara compound?”

“Yes,” Dawn breathed in relief as Kakashi stiffened.

“Why can't they just stay here, with you?” he asked.

“Because they need a medic. They need _me_ ,” she said wringing her hands. “And I think I know where they are.”

Kakashi gave Dawn an unreadable look before shrugging, but she didn't care. They believed her and they were doing something. She did the summoning with that sense of urgency and relief and was only a little surprised when Inuka popped in.

“Come along, pup, let's gather your brother and go,” Inuka said calmly after Dawn explained. “You both have an early morning and a long day ahead of you.”

School. She'd forgotten that they started school in the morning. She didn't particularly care but Naruto was excited and the Otousans were certainly looking forward to it.

She allowed Inuka to nudge her along, helped load a snoring Naruto and her ninkin onto Inuka's back, stuffed their first day finery into a bag, grabbed their backpacks, and walked to the Nara compound.

The guard on duty tensed at the sight of Inuka, but relaxed minutely when Dawn stepped out of her shadow.

“I need to speak to Tou-chan,” Dawn said calmly. The whole world was echoing hollowly to her.

She wanted to be out there, collecting Gai and Genma, protecting what was hers. But she was six and not nearly as effective as grown, well-trained shinobi. So she followed the guard to the main house. She behaved. And she vowed to grow strong enough to protect what was hers.

Shikaku-tou answered the door and raised an eyebrow but let them in, waving the guard back to his post.

“Dawn-chan, what's happening?” he asked, lifting her when she held up her arms. She wasn't usually demanding with the Otousans but she needed the comfort.

She told him, about how and what she saw, and where the others were going and Yoshino-san took Nartuto away with a pointed look and Shikaku-tou rubbed a hand down her back.

“Do you want to try to sleep?” he asked, settling her on his lap when he sat.

“Not yet,” she murmured, her eyes closed but her brain watching the scene unfold.

Minutes turned to hours and Dawn only allowed herself to relax when she saw Rin begin to heal Genma.

“They're safe, now,” she mumbled and slumped into slumber.

***

Morning came entirely too early, Naruto was too hyper, and Shikamaru was too inquisitive.

“One more question,” she said, the threat of violence clear in her voice. “And I am going to smack somebody.”

Tou-chan chuckled as both boys went silent. “First lesson in dealing with the finer sex. If they don't have a good night, you're not having a good day.”

He petted her hair as Yoshino lit into him. Shikamaru muttered, “Troublesome,” and Naruto watched it all with wide blue eyes. Breakfast at their house was always a little weird and foster homes weren't exactly great at extending a familial vibe. With the Nara's, though, all of this felt so _normal_.

“I'm taking Bean, Chicky, and Rosy with me today,” she announced to shift the argument.

Yoshino-san flinched, then said, hands on her hips, “Don't they have their own lessons to attend during the day.?”

“Inuka said that Old Man Inu said that they have to learn things at school, too,” Dawn shrugged.

Yoshino-san glanced warily at the giant ninkin who had yet to leave and said, “I see.”

Inuka's tail beat a happy rhythm on the floor as she said, “They have to learn patience and it will help with their human speech, too.  
“As long as they don't cause a disturbance,” Yoshino-san said sternly and Dawn grinned.

“They'll behave,” Dawn promised.

“I'll make sure of it,” Inuka assured, casting a gimlet gaze over the pups.

Dawn raised an eyebrow at that but didn't argue. She didn't want to be alone today, anyway.

“Kiba's going to be so jealous,” Naruto said gleefully.

“He may have his own ninkin, now,” Dawn said sedately.

“ _One_ ,” Naruto said, practically rubbing his hands together. “And yours are already learning human speech. And Bean and Rosy might _look_ small and sweet, which they only are when they want to be, but Chicky already looks like she wants to tear somebody's face off.”

Chicky flashed fangs that, admittedly, would have been intimidating if Dawn hadn't seen her get her back foot caught in her bandanna when she was scratching her ears. Honestly, Bean was the meanest of the bunch, the shortest tempered, and the leader of the pack. She might be the smallest, but she was also the smartest of the three.

Still. “I'm more worried that Kiba's going to make an ass out of himself,” she shrugged.

“I wouldn't bet against it,” Shikamaru said, looking like he was falling asleep in his breakfast.

Dawn snickered at him “You'll be great friends. You'll be too lazy and he'll be too energetic to make it through a whole class.”

He grimaced, cracking one eye open to glare at her. “ _Troublesome_.”

“That's enough,” Yoshino-san said sternly. “If you're done eating, I'll walk you to the Academy.”

Shikamaru sighed like the whole world was against him and Dawn laughed as she hopped down from her seat, nudging her brothers to come along, too. The sooner they got started, the sooner they were done. And, at the back of her mind, she could see her guardians coming through the gates of Konoha, Gai propped up on Kakashi and Genma being piggybacked by Asuma. Rin was lecturing Aoba, Raido, and Yamato about something. They were all breathing and home and that was what mattered.

The Academy was a long walk on short legs, so she wasn't surprised to see Kakashi, Yamato, and Asuma among the hoard of parentals. Rin was at the hospital with Gai and Genma, as she should be.

“Excited for your first day?” Kakashi asked, pumping brightness into his voice.

She shot him a bland look. “Thrilled.”

Asuma squatted as Naruto practically tackled him. “Well, at least one of you're happy to be here.” He gave Dawn a look. “Gai and Genma promise to see you later.”

She heaved a sigh. “And I guess jiji-sama wants to see me, too.”

“Huh?” Naruto said, adorably confused. He hadn't even asked why they were at the Nara's when he woke up.

“Because he couldn't make it to my party,” she lied smoothly as Asuma nodded.

Naruto lit up. “That means presents! Can I come, too?”

“I think he wants to see her while Kakashi's giving you a lesson,” Asuma said, throwing Kakashi under the bus.

How Kakashi managed to grimace and smile at the same time with 2/3 of his face covered and only one eye, Dawn didn't know. Naruto threw himself at Kakashi's legs, overexcited, and Dawn shot Asuma an amused look that he shrugged off, lighting his cigarette.

Dawn shook her head, turning to the Otousans, allowing Choza-chan to gently lift her. She laid her head on his shoulder and, for such a big man, he practically melted. Shikaku-tou must have told him she'd had an intense night because he cuddled her carefully to him until she felt surrounded by his safety, armor be damned.

She rolled her head until she was looking at Inoichi-otou. “I learned a new trick last night.”

“I heard,” he said, looking a little sad.

She leaned in, making him lean into her. “I think I _made_  her want to go.”

“We'll talk about it later,” he promised, petting her hair. “Right now, you're going to start the Academy.”

She thought about clinging to Choza-chan, but eventually let him go, moving to grab Naruto by the collar and haul him through the gates. “Bye, Otousans, bye anikis.”

“Nee-chan, we're starting the Academy! We're going to be _ninja_!” Naruto practically crowed, startling some of the other students and their parents, but she smiled indulgently.

“Yeah.”

He tackled her, lifting her off her feet and spinning. She laughed, letting him have his moment before she said, “Let's not be late on our first day.”

He set her down, grabbed her hand, and ran, dragging her along. She let him, happy enough to follow him.

Dawn spent the first few hours alternating between distracting Naruto and trying not to fall asleep so she wasn't that surprised when Naruto came up to her at lunch, Iruka-sensei and Ino-chan following along behind him.

“Nee-chan, you're too tired to be here, Naruto said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I told Iruka-sensei about last night and Ino-nee-chan promises to keep me out of trouble.”

Ino shrugged. “You know I like bossing the boys around, so it's no big.”

Iruka-sensei crouched in front of her. “We'll be going over basic katas and exercising after lunch and I know you do a bit of that at home. I'll walk you to the hospital, where I'm sure you'll find at least one of your guardians.”

Dawn could have told him that all of them but Jiraiy-jiji, jiji-sama and the Otousans were there, but she turned to Naruto instead. “You _promise_ to try to behave? To listen to Iruka-sensei and Ino-chan?”

He snorted. “Yes, nee-chan. This is all stuff I'm good at, anyway. I'll see you when class lets out.”

He hugged her, then ran away, dragging Ino behind him, merrily ignoring her caterwauling.

“He should be fine,” she said, nodding to Iruka-sensei as she gathered her bag. She had been more tired in her short life, but if he wanted to excuse her from more lessons on stuff she already knew, she wasn't going to argue with him. “I'm ready.”

She let him escort her to the hospital but drew the line when he wanted to wait with her until one of her guardians showed up. It helped that Aoi-sama agreed to look after her. No one argued with Aoi-sama.

Aoi-sama walked her to Gai and Genma's room, patting her head before she left.

Dawn eased the door open and peeped inside. Gai was asleep, but Genma was fiddling, one-handed, with a deck of cards. He spotted her and smiled, but there was something unreadable in his eyes.

“Iruka-sensei and Naruto-kun decided I was too tired to participate in the exercises this afternoon,” Dawn said quietly. “And sensei figured at least one of my guardians would be here.”

He grinned. “Well, if you're just napping, Gai and I'll work just fine. I'm just surprised you left Naruto to his own devices.”

“Ino-chan's watching him,” she shrugged, crawling up to sprawl beside him. “I'm very tired, Genma-nii.”

“Go to sleep,” he said, cuddling her to his side without hesitation. “I'm sure we'll hear Naruto coming.”  
***  
They did, his happy cackle waking everyone just before the door swung open. Rin stood behind him, that look of patient amusement on her face that usually seemed to baffle people on the streets.

“Nee-chan!” he exclaimed as soon as he saw her, hurrying over to scramble up onto the bed. “You missed it! Ino-nee-chan has terrible stamina!”

“I'm sure you helped her, though, right?” Dawn asked.

He grinned brightly. “Yep! I promised to let her borrow you for a night of girl talk if she didn't take last place!”

Dawn felt a cold wash of dread. “Naruto-kun, you can't make promises for other people.”

His smile turned sly. “I _knew_ you were going to say that. So I'll promise _you_ 6 hours of lessons without complaint if you help me keep my promise to Ino-nee-chan.”

Damn it. It was hard enough to get Naruto to sit still, never mind to do it without complaining.

“Lessons at school don't count,” she decided just to be ornery. “Only lessons we learn at home, only when I say, and if you don't make it through the entire duration without complaining, we start over.”

He looked horrified and she smiled. He'd obviously thought he was going to use tomorrow's school hours to pay off his debt.

His chin firmed, though, and he stuck out his hand to shake. “Hokages shouldn't make promises they can't keep.”

She smiled, sealing their agreement with a shake. “Trust me. This is me letting you off lightly. Ino-chan's going to want to talk about boys all night.”  
Naruto nodded with a wince. “Which is why I offered 6 hours instead of four.”

“Did I miss anything else?” she asked, leaning against Genma's shoulder.

“Shikamaru managed to get in an hour of cloud watching before the senseis noticed he wasn't exercising with the rest of us.”

Dawn snickered. “I wonder how long it'll take the senseis to figure out he's already a genius.”

“I'm pretty sure Iruka-sensei knows,” Naruto shrugged. “And that's why he only yelled twice while we were doing lessons. But once we got outside, he kept having to yell at Kiba and Choji and Shikamaru just slipped through until Iruka-sensei made us hold a position for 5 minutes. Then he made him stand at the front for the rest of the day.”

Dawn snorted. “Maybe he's dealt with Nara's before.”

“Iruka-sensei works at the mission desk,” Genma said muzzily. She glanced back to see him falling asleep. “He's dealt with plenty of Naras.”

“Anything else happen?” Dawn asked, used to gently guiding Naruto's attention back on topic.

“Ino-nee-chan's friend Sakura-chan has worse stamina than Ino-chan,” he said, shrugging. “Uchiha Sasuke is already Mizuki-sensei's favorite. That's about it.”

Dawn thought that over. That Mizuki-sensei had picked a clan-born child as his favorite wasn't really a surprise and from the stories she'd heard of Uchiha Itachi, she figured he was just hedging his bets. And, so far, the most outstanding thing about Ino-chan's best friend was the color of her hair and her shyness.

“We'll have to work on getting the girls up to speed,” she decided, tilting her head in thought. “And it's probably for the best if Mizuki-sensei focuses on someone else.”

“Uhh,” Naruto groaned, flopping over until his head was in her lap. “You've found another project.”

She kissed his forehead, making him flush. “As future hokage, it's your duty to encourage the kunoichi of your generation. They will not only be the backbone of your medical corps, they'll be 1/3 of your shinobi forces.”

He heaved a put upon sigh. “I _know_. But most kunoichi our age are thinking about frilly things and cute things.”

She flicked his forehead, making him howl and flail away from her. “Rin-nee-chan and Baa-chan aren't interested in either of those things. And _I'm_ not interested in either of those things, either.”

He gave her a Look. “And none of you are average kunoichi.”

“Maybe with some motivation, the girls won't be average, either,” Dawn countered, crossing her arms.

He flopped back in defeat. “Fine. We're motivating kunoichi. Are there any other projects you want to start at school.?”

“Well, obviously something's going to have to be done with Shikamaru,” she said.

He grinned wickedly. “He's gonna love that.”

“He knows all the stuff we're learning,” she said, annoyed.

“You know all that stuff, too,” he argued.

“But I have a reason to stay awake,” she said, looking at him pointedly. “Shika-kun doesn't . If we get Iruka-sensei and Shika-kun to come to an agreement that states that so long as he passes all of his weekly quizzes with flying colors and he participates in the last half of classes, he can sleep or cloud watch for the morning portion, then Iruka-sensei can focus on other people.”

“And you don't have to listen to Iruka-sensei yelling,” Naruto finished, nodding. “That all seems fair, but somebody's still going to yell about favoritism.”

She beamed at him. “Which is why Shika-kun needs to pass the quizzes at the beginning of each week.”

“Very wise,” Gai rasped from the next bed and Dawn's heart flipped. She and Naruto scrambled off of Genma's bed, making him grunt, and over onto Gai's. “Hello, my budding flower, my youthful ninja.”

“Hey, Gai-chan!” Naruto said enthusiastically, both too loud and too close to Gai's face. Gai just smiled because Gai was weird and appreciated enthusiasm and showmanship. “Are you feeling better now? You missed our first day at the Academy.”

Dawn resisted the urge to facepalm as Gai's face fell and his eyes welled. She shoved Naruto off the bed instead.

“What Naruto means,” she said before he started to wail, “is that we're glad you're home and not dead in a ditch.”

His tears evaporated, but the sad look remained. “We tried very hard to make it to your first day.”

“There will be other, more important firsts,” she shrugged. “And, while we missed you, we weren't alone.”

He smiled at her. “Our little peacemaker. Always so logical, so loyal.”

“But you _definitely_  have to make it to our Chuunin exams,” Naruto said, hopping back up onto the bed. She could have kissed him for that show of optimism. Surviving as a shinobi long enough to see them graduated to Chuunin was quite a feat. “We'll be using everything you taught us to kick butt!” His nose wrinkled. “Even if we have to wait 6 years to become Genin.”

“We'll use that time to grow,” Dawn said calmly. She leaned over and kissed Gai's cheek. “But, in the mean time, we need to leave you guys to rest.” She pulled Naruto off the bed and over to Genma, giving him a kiss, too, and waited through Naruto's shy hug. “And I think Naruto's getting lessons with Kaka-nii while I go have a talk with jiji-sama.”

Understanding lit in Genma's eyes and he patted her legs. “Your jiji-sama does like having talks with you.”

It was a subtle reminder that everything was going to be okay. She wasn't going to be in trouble for having gifts that saved lives.

“Yeah,” she said with a shrug.

She knew she wasn't in trouble but it was her jiji-sama. She didn't want to disappoint him or make him afraid of her.  
The Tower wasn't a long walk, but she didn't protest when Asuma picked her up. For the first time in a long time, she wasn't feeling secure in Konoha. She had people that mattered and she never wanted to lose them over something as stupid and arbitrary as a weird ass power.

Asuma patted her leg. “You're being quiet.” She shrugged and he sighed. “You're not in any trouble. We just need to keep tabs on your development. Yours is the first new Kekkei Genkai in generations. No one's really seen a new one develop quite like yours, either.”

“I know,” she said. Because she did. She also knew she was privy to much more confidential information than a girl her age and rank should know.

Kakashi was leaning against the door to jiji-sama's office, the little orange book in his hand disappearing as soon as she came into view. Asuma sighed quietly, obviously annoyed.

“Hokage-sama's in a meeting with Danzo-sama,” Kakashi said, reaching out to ruffle her hair as Asuma tensed against her. “Apparently Danzo-sama has been a very naughty shinobi.”

Asuma was strung wire tight against her and Dawn patted his neck, trying to calm him. Danzo was a snake in the grass, but jiji-sama could handle him.

That didn't keep her from shrinking into Asuma when the door to the hokage's office slammed open and Danzo stormed out, pausing only briefly to glare at Dawn of all people. There had been hatred, a personal loathing that a man she'd never even spoken to shouldn't hold towards her.

The guards that shoved him past her looked at them curiously, but stayed with Danzo.

“I believe I could use some good news,” jiji-sama said from inside the room. “Bring me my granddaughter.”

Asuma brought her into the room and Dawn's breath caught at the sight. Her jiji looked terribly old and sad. She made Asuma let her down and scampered to her jiji, hugging him as soon as he lifted her. He was as strong as ever, his lean, wiry frame looking deceptively frail.

“And how is my granddaughter today, on her first day at the Academy?” Jiji asked.

She sighed, pulling back so she could settle in his lap. “Fine. I only stayed half the day, but I guess you knew that.”

He hummed, petting her hair. “I had heard. Did you learn anything new, at least?”

She wondered why he was stalling, why he wasn't asking how much she knew. She just shrugged, though. “I'd read most of it already.”

He chuckled. “That doesn't surprise me.” There was a knock at the door and Rin and the Otousans slipped into the room. “Ah. Anyone who is not one of Dawn-chan's guardians, please leave.” The ANBU along the walls stirred restlessly before they all disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Jiji sighed. “I hope they realize they're cleaning that up, later.” She felt something powerful ripple across the room before he asked. “So. Who should I start with?”

Rin stepped forward as Dawn took a deep breath. She gave an account of what occurred the night before and only faltered towards the end. “I needed to go. And I think I saw something in her eyes. And then I saw the unit. They were scattered all over the ground, except...”

“In the opposite way,” Dawn finished. “Like you'd seen a mirror image.”

“Yes,” Rin said, surprised, looking at her. “How...?”

Dawn sighed, fiddling with jiji's robes. “Last month, Kaka-nii was gone for over a week. He got...injured o the left side but I saw it as the right side.” Everybody looked at Kakashi, who seemed normal, but shrugged. “He's favoring his right side, at least when he picks me or Naruto up.”

“So you saw it happen,” Inoichi-tou cut in before Rin could start berating Kakashi for not going to the hospital.

“A perfect mirror image,” she nodded. “Sight, smell, sound. I don't feel anything, though. So it's like I'm there, but I'm not them.”

“And how did you show that to Rin-sama?” he asked gently.

Dawn sighed, then stepped up onto the desk. “Tou-tou, do you want to know what Shikamaru is doing right now?”

Shikaku-tou raised an eyebrow but stepped forward. “Sure.”

Dawn cupped his cheeks and concentrated on her brother. Shikamaru was trying to teach Naruto shoji, except Naruto was too antsy to sit still.

She blinked and Shikaku-tou nodded. “I see. And it is a mirror image because Shikamaru favors the other side of the board.”

Dawn nodded, looking around. “I can find anyone in this room at any time. I think...I think I could have stepped to Gai and Genma last night, but I thought I would make it all worse, so I didn't try.”

Shikaku lifted her from the desk, cuddling her close. “It's good that you didn't. There's no telling how much chakra that would have cost you.”

Dawn nodded, looking up at him “I can see you and Shikamaru-kun, but not Yoshino-san, unless she's with you.”

“So it's limited to blood connections,” Shikaku interpreted.

Dawn nodded. “But I don't know if this is my Kekkei Genkai or just how my gifts from where I originated from are reacting to this world. And it might be because the seal was stabilized around the same time as I was bitten.”

“But you don't think it's your Kekkei Genkai,” Shikaku said.

“I think it's just me,” she shrugged. “Space and Time are my gifts. You add Yamanaka blood on top of that and maybe it's just me.”

Shikaku looked at Inoichi, who nodded, frowning. “The elders sometimes talk about how our techniques were developed. This sounds...similar.”

“I saw clouds in her eyes,” Shikaku said. “Before I saw Shikamaru.”

“Yes!” Rin said. “I thought maybe it was a film or something but clouds floating across her eyes. That's what I saw.”

“That's new,” Dawn said, shrugging. “But I don't usually look at my eyes when I'm drifting, either.”

Shikaku was studying her. “I'm inclined to agree, this might just be how old gifts react to a new world. But that doesn't change the fact that she's privy to much more information than she should be.”

“We will just have to be certain that she's protected at all times,” jiji-sama said, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers. “She already has some of the most powerful guardians Konoha has to offer. Now we will just have to make certain that she can protect herself before she ever leaves the village.”

Dawn sighed, slumping. “Bummer. I wanted to go with Jiji-chan on summer break.” Everyone chuckled, relaxing. Dawn focused on her jiji--sama. “So, you know, I told Naruto I was coming here because you missed my birthday party.”

He chuckled. “Yes, I guess that means I owe you presents.”

She beamed at him, only projecting happiness. “Well, you don't have to, but then my cover story falls apart.”

He gave a rusty laugh and motioned for her to come back to him. She settled n his lap as he said, “I actually have 3 presents for you. I was just waiting for a bit of privacy to give them to you.”

She raised her eyebrows at him. “They sound awesome or ominous.”

He hummed. “Perhaps. I'll let you decided.” He plopped the first in her lap. “But I think you'll appreciate them, regardless.”

She flipped the latches on the long, simple wooden box and her breath caught when she saw what was inside. “It's _beautiful_ ,” she breathed, lifting the katana from the box, letting the light flash across it. “Does it channel chakra?”

“Of course,” Jiji said, both of them ignoring the varying levels of disapproval that was aimed at him and his choice in presents. “But a blade is just a blade unless you learn to wield it properly, which is why I've arranged for Gekko Hayate and another kenjursu expert to take turns training you in kenjutsu.”

She squealed, hugging him around the neck, careful not to stab anybody. “ _Thank_ you, jiji!”

“You're welcome,” he said, helping her put away the blade before he gently laid her second present on top of the first. She carefully lifted the lid and goggled at what was inside. “The top one was your grandmother, Biwako's. She received it from her mother who had gotten from her mother before her. The bottom one is a replica because you are much like your grandmother and very practical.”

Dawn nodded. “Something so old must be very fragile and therefore handled delicately.”

His face softened. “Your grandmother always said the very same thing.” He took the cheap plastic barrette out of her hair that her second foster mother had given her and used the bottom comb to push her hair out of her face. “Which is why I had the replica made for you.”

She didn't ask if the gems were real or if the metal was precious. She carefully closed the box and clutched it to her chest. “I'll take excellent care of it.”

She tucked the cheap plastic barrette in her pocket as he dug through his desk drawer. It had been a small kindness, even if her second foster mother had been just as ill equipped to deal with her as any of the others.

The last present, a scroll, was laid in her lap as he said, “We're not actually sure what's inside this, but it came from the seal along with the scroll that gave us our information about you. Jiraiya believes only you can open it.”

Well, that was a can of worms, wasn't it. She wasn't sure she _should_  open it.

She unrolled the scroll on the top of jiji's desk, though, and it was like the seal _spoke_  to her. She called up a little chakra and traced the pattern that called to her the most, yelping when there was a poof and a bang and jiji was holding her across the room from where they'd started. There were a lot of weapons drawn but the only thing different was the trunk in the middle of Jiji's desk.

“I don't think it's a booby trap,” she said after a moment and no one really relaxed, although jiji did take her closer to the desk. Recognition was almost instantaneous when she saw the carving on the lid. “Hey, that's mine! From before! Somebody made it for me.” Her face scrunched up. “I don't remember his name, though.”

_That_ had everyone relaxing enough to let her open the trunk, although no one put their weapons away and everyone gathered around. The trunk opened much like the seal had, a little push of power in the right pattern and the lid opened with a quiet shush.

Dawn studied everything neatly stuffed inside. Books, old ones, and scrolls, a machine she recognized as a laptop shoved down the side, bits and bobs that were part of her old life, topped by an old stuffed pig that she picked up and cuddled to her chest. She pressed her thumb into a seal in the top of the trunk and a secret compartment slid down, showing off an array of weaponry. She ran her fingers over the crossbow, the elegantly carved tantos, the various blades and promised herself she could master them all.

“Well,” Kakashi said breaking the silence, “I don't know who they are, but I definitely like their style.”

“You would have liked them,” she said, snapping the secret compartment closed. “I think so, anyway.”

She carefully placed the pig and her grandmother's hair comb on top of everything else and closed the trunk, loath to sort through everything with an audience. She hugged her Jiji. “Thank you, Jiji-sama. Everything's awesome.”

“I'm glad you like it,” he said solemnly, petting her hair.

She patted his back, then pulled back and picked up her new katana. She beamed at Rin. “I got a new sticker.”

“I saw,” Rin sighed, defeated.

“Naruto's going to be _so_  jealous,” she said, poking at her.

Rin slumped. “Let's make sure he understands that the _lessons_ are just as important as the weapons, okay?”

“Sure,” she said, smiling.

Naruto was her brother, her baby in a lot of ways, but she would be the first to admit that he was a hazard in a physical confrontation. He had more enthusiasm than skill which made giving him sharp, pointy objects kind of dangerous.

They let her guide them away from the contents of the trunk even though shinobi were all terribly nosy. That was why she loved them.


	8. Chapter Eight: Old Friends

He was a blessed man, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Everyone said so and he never bothered to deny it. He had two fine sons, a wife that had loved him fiercely, a newborn grandson, and a granddaughter that had been familiar to him from the moment his eyes met hers.

But, more importantly, he was a _wise_ man and he didn't need a gazing ball to tell him that if he waited long enough, he'd have a very interesting guest soon.

The moon had risen high in the sky when a small displacement of air had him looking over his shoulder, his ANBU guard tensed around him. “Hello, Fox-san.”

“Hokage-sama,” Fox-san said with a slight bow. Her perch on the windowsill prevented her from the full bow.

“I believe we need privacy,” he said, dismissing his guards. They never liked leaving him alone with uninvited guests but they had long gotten used to being sent away when Fox-san showed up.

They left and she plopped down on the edge of his desk, sliding up her mask. He leaned back in his chair. He'd seen her eyes before, of course, but he'd never gotten a good look at her face. She was beautiful, this woman his granddaughter would grow to become.

She wiggled her eyebrows, grinning playfully. “I _told_ you I would take the mask off one day.”

She reached up to adjust the comb in her fall of dark red hair and he smiled.

“If you hadn't been wearing that comb, I never would have trusted you,” he said. “Did you wear it during the Hyuuga Affair just to confuse matters?”

She shrugged. “I knew the right people would see it and understand or grow to understand.”

“Oh, your grandmother would have loved you,” he sighed. “It's a shame you never got to meet her.”

“Who says I didn't?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She sobered after a moment. “If I remember correctly, today was the day you had Danzo arrested.”

He suddenly felt all of his years pressing down upon him. “Yes. You were right, about everything.”

“Bloodline theft is a nasty business, jiji,” she said, with little sympathy. “And his fear and envy of the Uchiha would have led to disastrous things.”

“The massacre of an entire clan of Konoha,” he said wearily.

“Um,” she nodded, watching him with that keen gaze that meant she knew something he couldn't even begin to dream of. “And it would have been for nothing because none of the _current_ , loyal generation of Uchiha were leading the attack of the Nine Tails.”

The current generation. Maybe a past generation? And she didn't absolve the entire Uchiha clan, she just said they weren't _leading_  the attack, which meant one or more of them might have been involved. Or maybe an Uchiha had mastered Fox-san's space-time jutsu and was traveling back to create chaos.

He sighed, lighting his pipe with a low level jutsu. Having conversations with Fox-san was always difficult.  She'd been taught very well how to obfuscate, to bury the lead so far that it could scarcely be dug out.

“I suppose you can't just tell me what you know,” he said after a moment.

“Even if I told you, you couldn't prove it,” she shrugged. “Not yet, anyway.”

“And how do you know that for certain?” he challenged.

She leaned in “I fell into a world where I'd told you, once. It wasn't that happy a world. Wasn't the easiest to get out of, either.”

Well, that was unexpected. “So you've been to other worlds?”

She flushed. “I was young. I thought maybe I could go back. You know. To where I came from. Just to see what it's like.”

He patted her knee, sympathetic. “I would have been more surprised if, with your talents, you hadn't tried.”

Fox-san shrugged. “That was the only time I tried.” She nudged his knee with her sandal. “You made me promise not to try that one again. I mostly stick to this time line, these days.”

The sparkle in her eyes meant that she'd been tinkering with the past, again.

“I suppose you won't tell me what you've done this time, either,” he said, puffing on his pipe.

She laughed. “I just visited some people, like I'm doing right now.”

She beamed at him and he shook his head with a sigh. “I suppose I'll learn what you've done soon enough.”

“It might take a few years, if you're lucky,” she smiled. “But you'll appreciate my efforts.”

Considering she normally saved at least one life and almost always swung situations in Konoha's favor, he had no doubt that he would, even if there was likely to be a ton of paperwork involved.

She glanced over her shoulder, then hopped off the desk. “Well, I guess I'll be leaving.” She kissed his cheek and disappeared.

He sighed at the knock. Always a mystery, that girl. He dismissed the privacy seals and his guards popped back in, looking as disgruntled as masked figures could. He smiled and called, “Enter!”

At Uchiha Fugaku's peculiar expression, he sobered. A few years, his left foot.

“I take it you had a visitor,” he said and watched the Uchiha clan leader slow blink, reevaluating the situation.

“Yes. I'm not quite sure what to make of it,” Fugaku said.

Hiruzen had to wonder what Fox-san had done to make the proud Uchiha uncertain enough to voice it aloud.

“Most pleasant visits from Fox-san go that way,” he shrugged. “Confusion is her talent.”

Fugaku sobered. “She showed me. What could have been. What _would_  have been if Danzo had his way.”

There was a quiet rage there that was both understandable and worrying.

“As soon as I had something concrete, we moved to stop him,” Hiruzen said calmly. He was only guilty of thinking the best of his fellow shinobi.

“We will, of course, need to reclaim what was stolen from the clan,” Fugaku said and Hiruzen nodded. That was a given. “And we need to repay the debt to your granddaughter.”

That was...a surprise. “My granddaughter is a six year old girl,” he said carefully.

“Your granddaughter shows a gift for space-time jutsu and I would recognize that hair comb anywhere,” Fugaku countered, smug and assured. “If she hadn't wanted to be recognized, she would have been more discreet.”

That was certainly true. The hair comb only came out when she was making a statement. “Dawn-chan is a very gifted girl,” he finally conceded.

“I would propose a marriage alliance,” Fugaku said.

“Dawn-chan, due to circumstances, will be allowed to choose her own husband,” Hiruzen said firmly. “There are too many clans involved to force her hand with a contract.”

Fugaku's chin tipped up. “I thought you would say something to that affect which is why I've decided to offer mandatory playdates between her and my sons.”

Oh, he was a clever man, Uchiha Fugaku. Hiruzen smiled. “Dawn-chan keeps a very busy schedule. She has ninkin lessons with Tsume-chan, med nin lessons with Tsunade-chan and Rin-chan, kinjutsu lessons, ninjutsu lessons, fuuinjutsu lessons, and a weekly playdate between several clans. I'm not certain she'll have the time, not when you add Itachi-kun's schedule to the mix.”

A muscle started to twitch in Fugaku's cheek. “I'm _certain_ we can find a way.”

Hiruzen steepled his fingers. “Perhaps if the Uchiha were to offer lessons of some sort...”

Fugaku blinked, the Uchiha way of gaping, before he said, “I believe we can come up with something.”

“She seems quite fascinated with fire,” Hiruzen said, leaning back in his chair.

Fugaku's jaw clenched. “You wouldn't ask us to divulge clan techniques.”

“Of course not. Though she is quite clever,” Hiruzen said, leaning back in his chair. “There's no guarantee that she won't figure it out on her own.”

“No child is _that_ clever,” Fugaku said, relaxing. “But, if she wishes, I would be glad to teach her general fire techniques.”

Hiruzen smiled. “And I'm sure you'll be just as glad to allow your sons to attend Dawn-chan's weekly playdates between the clans. Schedule permitting, of course.”

Fugaku's face went blank. It would say something, for the Hokage's granddaughter to spend time with the Uchiha heirs. Whether Fugaku was willing to share that with other clan's heirs was the question. The Uchiha had built their reputation with their pride and talent. For them to bend, even this much, would say something, too.

“I believe that the future leaders of Konoha should be well acquainted,” Fugaku said blandly. “A childhood bond can only brighten the future.”

Hiruzen felt a rush of relief. He wasn't ignorant of the agenda the Uchiha elders were pushing. That Fugaku was willing to build ties meant that Fox-san's warnings had been taken to heart.

“That is what we all hope for,” he said carefully.

Fugaku studied him before he nodded and stood. “Mikoto will meet with the girl's guardians to arrange the lessons and to make certain that they will have room for Sasuke and Itachi.” Hiruzen nodded and waited. “Hokage-sama. I don't think you understand how grateful we are to your granddaughter. If I can slide it past the elders, I'll teach her everything I know.” He struggled for a moment before he said, “My sons won't know that fate, thanks to her.”

He bowed, a full bow of acknowledgment, then swept out of the office.

Hiruzen settled back in his chair. She was a whirlwind of change, his granddaughter. She always managed to turn things for the better for almost everyone involved.

A polite knock shook him out of his contemplation and he tensed when Asuma slid into the room. He relaxed a bit when his son merely collapsed into the chair across from him with a sigh, head falling back.

“My daughter might possibly be developing a dojutsu,” he said, looking Hiruzen in the eye. “Maybe. Inoichi thinks it might just be what happens when you mix Yamanaka genes with the rest of ours.”

“She does have the tour d'force of genetic combinations,” Hiruzen agreed carefully. Talking to the Uchiha clan head had been easier than this conversation with his son.

Asuma finally looked at him. “I don't know what I'm doing.”

And that was a surprise because he loved his son but he'd never been his confidant.

“No parent knows what their doing. Especially not the first time,” Hiruzen said, ignoring the thought that he'd done much better connecting with his first son than his second. “And with Dawn-chan and Naruto-kun, you were thrown into the deep end. You've managed quite well if I do say so myself.”

Asuma stared at him for a moment before he sighed, slouching in his chair. “I just don't want to mess up. The thought of something happening to them...”

“Oh, that's a parent's worst nightmare,” Hiruzen nodded. “We all hold that fear. But you can't let fear rule you, not as a shinobi and not as a parent.” He studied Asuma before saying, “For what it's worth, I think you are truly doing the best you can and it's working. Naruto-kun has always been ridiculously easy to please but you've made Dawn-chan happy, too, and that is no easy feat.”

Asuma was quiet for a moment before he asked quietly, “Do you sometimes get the impression that Dawn-chan is an adult in a child's body?”

“Umm,” he nodded. “Which makes her willingness to cuddle and be coddled all the more meaningful. She's lived a life that she mostly doesn't remember that involved horrors. She _lets_ you and the others parent her. I'm pretty sure she'd let you know if you were doing it wrong.”

Asuma sighed. “Sometimes I wonder what they were like. They loved her enough to let her go. The idea of having to do that...It's physically painful.”

“They had no other choice,” Hiruzen said. “Either she would die young, or she would have to live without them. Life or Death. They made the choice any good parent would make, no matter how much it hurt.”

Asuma nodded. 'That's the legacy that I have to live up to and I don't know what I'm doing.”

It was always going to come back to that. “Welcome to parenting,” he said. “Where winging it is the best you can do.”

Asuma laughed “Fine. So I can't control anything because I don't know what I'm dealing with and I'll only know how badly I've messed up years after the fact. I just have to try.”

Hiruzen sighed, giving in to the inevitable. “I'm going to tell you an S class secret.” He motioned and his guards tensed but left in a swirl of leaves. Privacy seals activated, he leaned forward and said, “Dawn-chan has a gift for space-time jutsu that only gets stronger as she gets older. And, trust me, she tampers with events all she likes.”

Asuma blinked before saying skeptically, “You've met my daughter's older self?”

“She wears the replica of your grandmother's hairpin and a fox mask ANBU style,” he said, smiling. “Ask Rin-chan or Tsunade-chan. Or the Hyuuga clan head or the Uchiha head. They've met her.”

He watched as the truth of that sank in before Asuma's face went blank. “My daughter tampers with time.”

“Events, yes,” he said. “And I can say, personally, she grows up quite well.”

“The Hyuuga know,” Asuma said. “And the Uchiha.”

“Hiashi-san knows Fox-san wears your mother's hairpin,” he said. “And Uchiha Fugaku recognized it as well. You'll probably be meeting with him tomorrow about lessons and playdates.”

Asuma looked pained. “As if there weren't enough clan politics involved.”

“She does seem to be intent on interacting with all the Clans,” Hiruzen agreed. “Then again, it has been so long since all the clans have been pushed together on friendly terms, perhaps it's time..” Asuma looked at him, not amused. He smiled. “We don't really know how things turn out, yet. And if there's one thing I've learned as a parent, it's that you can't force matters. We can just lend a helping hand when we're needed. So go home. Kiss your children goodnight and get some sleep. Tomorrow's another day.”

Asuma sat, studying him for a moment before he stood and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Hiruzen sighed, dropping the privacy seals and lighting his pipe. His ANBU reappeared and he stood. “I suppose we'd better call it a day.”

Yes, best to sleep while they could.

***  
The next day dawned bright and early and Hiruzen had hardly settled behind his desk before his door was flung open. He could see the line behind her, but he was not surprised to see Tsunade in front. He wouldn't be surprised to hear that she'd shoved everyone out of her way.

She slammed the door behind her and glared at his guards. They hesitated a moment, then disappeared.  Tsunade raised the privacy seals and he raised an eyebrow. Jiraiya had taught them both how to, of course, but she rarely took such liberties in his office.

She paced in front of his desk, tugging on one of her pigtails. He let her collect herself.

When she stopped in front of her and met his eyes, he knew that she knew.

“Dawn has Biwako-sama's hairpin,” she finally said and he heard what she hadn't asked.

“Yes,” he confirmed nodding, and her face dropped.

“She shouldn't have had to see that,” she said despairingly. “I wouldn't have asked that of her.”

“Do you think Dawn-chan, who loves her baa-chan _so much_ , wouldn't try to help you save Dan's life, knowing what he meant to you?” he asked.

“But we didn't,” Tsunade said hollowly.

“I believe she was too young and it was too far back,” he said, terribly sorry. “Even the most gifted shinobi have a learning curve.”

“You think that was the first time she went back,” she said, stunned.

“It's the only time, that I know of, that she has failed her objective,” he said. “And she was...shorter than she is now. Less of a woman.”

“A girl, probably a teenager,” Tsunade said, getting comfortable with the idea. “She probably burned herself out making the trip back and didn't have enough juice to really help.” She thought for a moment. “And it would explain certain...gaps in my memory.”

“If she couldn't save him, she could at least protect you from the worst of it,” he agreed.

Tsunade collapsed into the chair across from him. “But I haven't told her about Dan.”

He gave her an indulgent look. “You're infamous, Tsunade-chan. One of Konoha's Legendary Three and the only female. She likely read about you in one of her books. And this story is not a secret one.”

She closed her eyes. “Should we try to stop her? No one should have to see that, sensei.”

“I think...you both learned from that situation,” he said carefully. “You learned of the girl with the sky eyes and she learned her limitations.”

She looked at him. “Not everything in life has to be a learning experience, sensei. Some things, we can protect her from having to learn.”

“Perhaps,” he shrugged. “But I do not think we can save her from herself.”

Tsunade looked desolate. “You think she'll go back, no matter what we tell her or teach her.”

He leaned forward with a sigh. “I've learned many things over the years, listening for Fox-san's exploits. She's efficient, brutal or kind as the situation calls for, and she never stays longer than she has to. And she never, ever goes back to the same situation. She has to learn this pattern of behavior somewhere.”

“She'll go back and she'll fail because she's already failed,” Tsunade said numbly. Her eyes sharpened for a moment. “She didn't manage to save the Uchiha brat on the cock up that landed Hatake with the Sharingan, either.”

“She brought his body home,” he countered. “And said very plainly that, sometimes, death shouldn't be fought against.”

“She knows something we don't,” Tsuande said, leaning back. She sighed. “That's always going to be the case, isn't it? She's from the future. She _has_ to know more than we know.”

“When she came to us, there was a scroll sealed in her arm. You know that,” he said. “Part of what was on it was threats alternate versions of us faced. Uchiha Obito wasn't on that list, but she still thought he needed to die and have his body brought back to Konoha. She must have known something we don't.”

“She could have just failed,” Tsunade said.

“No,” he shook his head “She was devastated when she failed Dan-san. She was merely tired with Obito.”

She gave him a look he couldn't read and laid out her final argument. “Why didn't she stop the Forth's death, the Kyuubi's attack? Why didn't she save her brother that pain?”

“She was there,” he said quietly. “She handed me Naruto when it was finally quiet. He was sleeping, wrapped safely in her cloak. She wouldn't talk about what she'd seen, though I believe she was crying.”

Tsunade slumped. “So Dan was only the first horror she saw.”

“All shinobi see terrible things,” he said. “The more gifted they are, the more terrible they see. And Dawn-chan is already very, very gifted. The best we can do is prepare her to best of our abilities.”

She nodded, then stood. “I have to get to the hospital to finish the changes. I'll talk to you later, sensei.”

She left and a very stiff Hyuuga Hiashi entered, his twin on his heels.

Hiruzen sighed. Fox-san certainly had a knack for understatements.

“Hokage-sama,” Hiashi said and both brothers bowed. “We've come to speak to you about your granddaughter.”

“And her grandmother's hairpin that's made a recent appearance,” Hizashi said dryly.

“I gave her a replica of it to her yesterday for her birthday,” he said. True enough. “Perhaps she wore it to school today?”

Hiashi sent him a scathing look. “Of course she did. And a grown woman with the same eyes wore it last night.”

“We've heard rumors,” Hizashi continued. “About your granddaughter's natural affinity for space-time jutsu.”

“We don't even need you to corroborate,” Hiashi concluded. “I believe we owe her a great debt.”

Hiruzen kneaded his brow. “She has guardians for this sort of thing, you know.”

“I'm a Clan Head,” Hiashi said, eyebrows raised. “Speaking to the eldest, highest ranked person in another clan is what's expected.”

Damn Hyuugas. Nearly as impossible as the Uchiha.

“Dawn-chan is a very busy little girl,” he started.

“Every Friday, the girls will stay the night with her,” Hiashi cut in. “And she will, of course, be welcomed at the Hyuuga compound to study whatever she likes. We would certainly be proud to train her in more sophisticated manners.”

“Just...one moment,” he said, then turned to the nearest ANBU. “Fetch Rin-sama, please.” He caught Hiashi's grimace from the corner of his eye. When he turned to face him, his face was unreadable. “Rin-chan will be able to tell you what's an acceptable use of Dawn-chan's time better than I can. I believe the Uchiha have extended a similar invitation.”

There was a tiny, minuscule tick in Hiashi's cheek that Hiruzen wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't spent the past 50 years analyzing inscrutable faces.

“How...interesting,” Hiashi said and Hiruzen hid a wince. If he wasn't careful, he'd have to deal with the one upmanship that was likely to occur. “I didn't know the Uchiha had reason to be interested in your granddaughter.”

Hiruzen gave up. “Many people are interested in my granddaughter for many different reasons. I believe Uchiha Fugaku has two sons of a similar age to Dawn-chan.”

Hiashi's nostrils flared. “Hizashi has a son of similar age as well.”

He gave a disapproving look. “No child of Dawn's will bear the Caged Bird Seal.” Hiashi flushed a bit and Hizashi almost smiled beside him. “Besides, I've already made it clear that Dawn-chan alone will be the one to choose her husband.” The girl was only six and he was already having to beat them off with sticks. “And I know as well as you do that mixing dojutsus can lead to unpleasant situations.”

“So she won't be marrying an Uchiha, either,” Hiashi said and relaxed a little.

The Hokage sighed. “She's six and intent on becoming a force to be reckoned with. She's not marrying anyone anytime soon. Although the Inuzuka boy has already decided they're fated and the Aburame heir is unusually attached to her.”

Hiashi blinked. “An Aburame, an Inuzuka, the next Shika-Ino-Cho, Uzamaki and possibly an Uchiha or two. The girl certainly keeps interesting company.”

“She has a way about her,” he shrugged. “You know that or you wouldn't be here.”

Hiashi seemed satisfied with that and nodded. He turned at the polite knock on the door and straightened when Rin walked in. She tended to have that affect on people.

“Hokage-sama, you needed me?” she asked politely.

“Hyuuga-san would like to offer playdates and whatever lessons Dawn-chan might think up,” he said.

There was a flicker of annoyance before she said, “That seems to be going around this morning. Fortunately, I'm already well versed in her schedule and when she has free time. Thursday's from 4 to 6. Dawn-chan's only stipulation is that Naruto-kun goes with her wherever she goes. Playdate is Friday, same as everyone else.”

Hiashi drew himself up. “I would like Hinata and, perhaps later, Hanabi, to stay the night.” Rin shot him a look and he said defensively, “Hinata is a very...timid girl. I believe she could benefit from a friend like Dawn-chan. I'm...concerned that if we continue on the road we're on, the clan elders won't support her for clan head.”

“So you want Dawn-chan to teach her to be feisty,” Rin interpreted and Hiruzen bit down on his pipe to keep from laughing.

Hiashi faced her head on. “I want them to be friends,” he said sincerely. “Whatever that means.”

Rin-chan blinked. “Thursdays, from 4 to 6. Friday sleep overs, though don't be surprised if others horn in on that. Ino-chan, at least, is very protective of her Nee-chan's time.”

Hiashi bowed slightly. “As to be expected of sisters. A Hyuuga will pick them up on Thursday.”

Hiashi swept out of the office. Hizashi stayed, pulling a small book from the sleeve of his robes. “She will likely find this interesting. When she is old enough, I will explain why I'm so grateful.”

“Of course. Thank you, Hyuuga-san,” Rin said, accepting the book. Hizashi bowed to her, then the Hokage and left quietly. Rin looked at Hiruzen, dumbfounded. “ _What_  is going on?”

“I believe you're already aware of Dawn-chan's future meddling,” he said after dismissing his weary guard and she pressed a hand to her breastbone which bore a unique seal. “She apparently spreads that around as she sees fit.”

“So they've been visited by Fox-san,” Rin said. “Clans normally don't involve themselves with outsiders. And Dawn-chan is the very definition of an outsider.”

“I think she made it very personal for them,” he shrugged. “And the idea that she traveled back in time to help them. It's a powerful thing. And, because it is so personal, the rest of their clans will be, at the very least, confused.”

“And at worst, hostile,” she sighed.

“Especially since she refuses to go anywhere without Naruto-kun,” he nodded.

She looked truly weary for the first time in years. “Sometimes I think agreeing to care for him was a mistake. I think it has just made everyone more afraid of him.”

“I think it's been good for him,” he chided gently. “And for you. You have nothing to be ashamed of or vilified for. You have perfect control of the Three Tails. Perhaps you can teach that control to Naruto one day.”

Her cheeks turned rosy. “I'd have to tell him what he is, what I am.”

Hiruzen slumped. “Perhaps it would be better for him to know. For him to be prepared.”

“Perhaps, Hokage-sama,” she said and he took that as tacit agreement. “But I may need your help.”

“Yes,” he sighed. “We may as well be fully honest. Bring Dawn-chan and Naruto-kun by after school and we'll...explain.”

“Of course, Hokage-sama,” she said with a bow. “If that's all, I need to get to the hospital. I've already been delayed twice.”

“Of course, Rin-chan. Go save lives,” he said, dismissing her.

A runner from the gates came in after she left looking tense and Hiruzen bit back a sigh, motioning for him to speak.

“There's a messenger,” he said shortly. “From Kumo. He wants a meeting with you.”

Hiruzen was honestly a little surprised. Oh, Fox-san had involved herself in plenty of foreign affairs, but rarely did that lead nations to their gates so quickly.

“Does this messenger have a name?” he asked.

“Killer B,” the runner said.

Hiruzen blinked. That was entirely unexpected. Still... “Show him in, please.”

“It'll be a moment, Hokage-sama,” the runner said, his name finally coming to Hiruzen. Kotetsu, a Chuunin who was frequently asleep at the gate. “He agreed to wait while I spoke to you.”

His hesitance to bring their guest into the city and the Tower was evident.

“He has waited long enough,” he said quietly. “Please bring him.” Kotetsu left in a swirl of leaves and he motioned to Turtle-san. “Bring Rin-chan and Tsunade-chan back, then find Hatake Kakashi and tell him that we have a guest from Iwa and he should keep an eye on the children. Then find Nara Shikaku and tell him the same. He'll know what to do.”

He probably had the order of that a little backwards but it didn't matter. Everything would work out.

Rin had a slight furrow in her brow but Tsunade was frowning when she entered. “We're never going to finish if we have to keep coming to the Tower.”

“A delegate from Kumo is on his way to see me,” he said and they both straightened. “A Killer B.”

He watched Rin pale, one hand creeping over her stomach. “Hokage-sama...”

“The eight tails of Kumo has come to visit,” he said bluntly. “Following a visit from Fox-san. I'm confident they're connected.”

“Why would Fox-san want him here?” she asked, baffled.

“That we'll have to ask Killer B-san,” he said just before the knock on the door. Tsunade and Rin moved to flank him on either side and he called, “Enter.”

“Sandaime-sama, Killer B of Kumogakure,” Kotetsu said stiffly.

Hiruzen rose to his feet and knew he didn't have a hope in the world at intimidating this man. Killer B was in his prime, built like a mountain and carried himself with an easy confidence that came from experience.   

“Hokage-sama, thank you for agreeing to see me, Kumo's mighty, awesome Killer B. A mutual friend thought I should come see you, check in on a little sister and maybe a little brother, too,” he said enthusiastically.

Hiruzen blinked. There had always been rumors, of course, that Killer B was a tad eccentric, but all great shinobi were. He could say with certainty, though, that this was the first time he'd met a rapping shinobi.

Then the words caught up to him and he tensed. Fox-san wouldn't have...

“Little sister and little brother?” he said carefully.

“Nohara Rin, fellow jinchuuriki and friend, and a boy named Naruto, a jinchuuriki, too, yo,” he said.

She had. She'd given Fire Country secrets to an Iwa nin. Oh, Rin-chan had long since been known as the 3 tails jinchuuriki but Naruto-kun...He was meant to be a secret, to be safe at least until he could defend himself.

Hiruzen looked to Rin to find her frozen. “Rin-chan, would you like to say hello to Killer B-san?”

He saw Killer B straighten and focus on Rin, who startled and stuttered, “He-Hello, Killer B-san. It's nice to finally meet you in person.”

She flushed and Hiruzen bit back a sigh at the vagaries of youth. Nohara Rin was well known for her decision to become a spinster with no children. That she'd taken in Naruto and Dawn had caused rumors and now he would have to quell more rumors that she was defecting to Iwa for love.

“Nohara Rin, is that how you talk to a friend?” Killer B said gently and Rin's flush turned even darker. “You and me, we're two of nine. Even calling me brother would be fine.”

Rin smiled and it was startling because she was such a solemn woman. “I think I'd like that. You've been a great help to me, over the years.”

Killer B flushed this time and Hiruzen wished for something stronger in his pipe.

“Unfortunately,” he cut in before things got too comfortable, “we cannot allow you to meet Naruto. Not at this time, anyway.”

Killer B nodded. “Fox-san said you'd say that. She said hard decisions came with the hat.”

Rin shuffled and Hiruzen suddenly had a horrible, wonderful idea.

He sat and leaned forward. “Perhaps you could help us with something, though.” He felt Tsunade tense behind him and knew her ire would be fierce and mighty once they were alone. “In your opinion, what would be the best way to tell him that he's a jinchuuriki?”

“He doesn't know?” B said, startled out of rapping. Then came anger. “He has to know. He was there when it was sealed.”

“The nine-tails was sealed within him when he was just minutes old,” he countered. “He has always been a jinchuuriki, although he doesn't know why others shun him as they do.”

Killer B couldn't seem to think straight, even as Rin stepped forward, hands held up, placating. “We're going to tell him,” she said softly. “Today. Maybe we should have let him know from the beginning but we didn't and we can't change that. And if we were really meant to, I'm sure our mutual friend would have made us.”

He eased a little. “If you're going to tell him today, then I'll be sure to stay.”

That wasn't exactly what Hiruzen had been shooting for but another knock at the door cut him off. He called, “Enter,” and was somewhat amused to see Kotetsu the Chuunin gate guard looking a little annoyed.

“A team from Kumo is at the gate asking that we please give them back their jinchuuriki,” he said with a glance at Killer B.

Formidable warriors rarely had reason to look sheepish but Killer B looked a few seconds from scuffing his toe in the carpet.

“I left a note,” he said defensively. “They know I came because I wanted to.”

Tsunade slapped up a hand to cover her face and Rin sighed quietly as Hiruzen tried to digest that.

“Impulsiveness must just be part of a successful jinchuuriki,” he finally said. Rin-chan grimaced at him as B-san flushed. To the gate guard, he said, “Bring them here so that they can ease their minds.” The dubious look was a step above insolent, but Kotetsu left without complaint. He turned to Boar-san. “Go tell my son he'll be hosting a contingent from Iwa.”

Rin-chan tensed. “Hokage-sama. Today is Friday. The playdate.”

Ah, yes. “I'm sure the children will be fascinated by their guests.”

Tsunade snorted at that understatement. “I'm gonna go get the brats from school. The sooner we get this finished, the sooner our guests can be on their way.”

She stomped out of the room, barely sparing Killer B a glance. She knew as well as Hiruzen did that every child in Konoha had likely been stashed away as soon as the news of their guests had spread. The Hyuuga Incident wasn't that far in the past, after all.

“They won't be allowed to meet Naruto-kun,” he said to Killer B. Rin-chan eased at that. “He's still very young. But I think he could benefit from meeting you, Killer B-san. So if you would like to meet him, I would appreciate it if you would help explain that to your compatriots.”

Killer B nodded. “You just wanna protect the boy. This ain't some elaborate ploy.”

The Kumo contingent that showed up seemed less than pleased that, not only wasn't B leaving, but they weren't invited to stay But Killer B got his way by promising to make it quick and Asuma swept them all out of the Tower well before Tsunade returned, a child in each arm.

Killer B went still at the sight of Naruto and Hiruzen knew that that was another secret let out in the open. Even at 6, Naruto looked just like his father.

Naruto ran to Rin-chan, who lifted him and allowed him to hide against her neck. Dawn eased from Tsunade's arms and sauntered up to Killer B, who looked taken aback for the second time that day.

Dawn-chan stared into his eyes for a long moment before her eyes dropped to the tattoo on his right arm. She gave a little grunt before thrusting out a hand. “Hello, jinchuurikki-sama.”

Killer B hesitated, then dropped to one knee and grasped her hand. “Hello, child.”

“I'm Sarutobi Dawn. Call me Dawn, please,” she said before looking to Hiruzen. “Are you finally going to explain to Naruto about the fox in his tummy?”

Of course she knew and of course she'd already told her brother.

“It appears he already knows,” he said, trying to hide his relief.

“We needed to figure out his little problem,” she shrugged. “And when I look at him, I see a fox.” She was unconsciously leaning on Killer B, who seemed to be holding his breath. “Nee-chan has a turtle under her breastbone and jinchuurikki-sama has an ushi-oni on his arm.”

“You're not gonna make me _leave_ , are you?” Naruto asked, looking around for the first time. “Nee-chan told me about the Kyuubi's attack the day I was born. I don't have to leave, do I?”

“No,” Rin-chan answered for him, squeezing Naruto to her. “Only fools blame you for the Kyuubi's attack. You'll never be forced to leave because of it.”

“Life ain't easy for jinchuurikki,” Killer B, said, focusing on Naruto. “Everybody looks at us like we're freaky. But, between you and me? There's nothing I'd rather be.”

“I already told you,” Dawn said with a sigh. “The Kyuubi is a symbol of power for Konoha, just like the other tailed beasts are for the other shinobi nations. They may not understand the sacrifices you make for them, but they don't want you to leave, either.”

“But that's why everybody hates me,” he said with a child's petulance.

“You'll just have to make them love you,” she shrugged.

“I'll become the Hokage and everybody will love me,” he swore. “Even if I do have this damned fox.”

“Hey now, be nice to the beast. He'll save your life once or twice, at least,” Killer B cut in. “He'll be a constant companion and maybe a friend, right up until the very end.”

“What Killer B means,” Rin said softly, “is that you can choose. Do you want the Kyuubi to be a partner or a prisoner?” Naruto looked at her, confused. She sighed. “If you treat him like a prisoner, you can still use some of his power, but you'll spend most of your time keeping him contained. If you can make him an ally, he'll work with you. Isobu-chan helps me heal, but doesn't really like conflict, so we stay out of the field.'

“And Gyuki-san is my friend. He'll help me until the very end,” Killer B said staunchly.

“But it's not easy,” Rin cautioned. “Tailed Beasts...They don't really think like we do. And they've lived, hated by humans, for ages. They're hard to understand and sometimes they don't _want_ to be your allies. Sometimes you have to earn that.”

“I can do that,” Naruto said after a moment's thought. “I'll make the fox and all of Konoha love me!”

“Let's start with the Kyuubi and worry about everybody else after we've graduated from the Academy,” Dawn said hurriedly. “He's gonna be your partner. He deserves your undivided attention for awhile.”

“Okay!” he said enthusiastically. “Now, can we go home? We're supposed to be having a sleepover with all our friends.”

“Yes, I suppose that's all we needed to speak about,” Hiruzen said. Dawn gave him a flat look. “For today, anyway.”

She nodded and turned to B. “We've gotta go, Killer B-sama, but it was very nice to meet you.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you, too, Little Miss Blue,” B said, seeming not at all certain what to do with her easy acceptance of him. “I feel better leaving the mister, knowing he has you for a big sister.”

Dawn blushed, which made Naruto chortle with glee.

“Tsunade, if you could go get Killer B's associates? I'm sure Rin-chan will be happy to see the children home,” he said..

Tsunade and Rin both moved simultaneously, Tsunade straight for the door and Rin to gather the children.

Rin paused, a child on each hip, in front of B. “It was nice to finally put a face to a name.”

“Same, little sister, same,” B said softly.

She nodded and headed for the door.

Dawn waved over her shoulder. “Bye, jiji-sama! Bye B-sama!”

B stared after them for a moment before turning to Hiruzen. “She sure can cut a man down to size with those sky eyes.”

“Hmmm,” he nodded, lighting his pipe. “And in all the years I've known our mutual friend, I've never known her to lead foreign shinobi straight to our door.”

B shrugged. “She gave me a glimpse of what could be. I thought I'd come, see what I could see.”

Fair enough. “Naruto seemed to be a surprise to you,” he said instead.

“He looks like someone I met once by chance. The resemblance is strong at first glance,” B said with a sharp glance towards the Hokage mountain.

“He acts more like his mother,” he said sedately. “He certainly gets his impulsiveness from her. Either way, he's an orphan now.”

Understanding lit in B's eyes as there was a knock on the door before it opened to admit the other Kumo nin, Tsunade and Asuma bringing up the read.

“I'll clear it and come in a year if I'm welcomed here,” B said. “Take care of my little brother and his sister, too, and I'll owe you.”

The other Kumo nin looked at B, shocked, but Hiruzen just shook his head.

“I'm the Hokage, B-san,” he said. “All the children of Konoha are mine to tend to, from the highest clan born to the lowest orphan. You don't owe me for doing my duty.”

Respect lit in B's face as he said, “In this one case, I have to disagree because it's so personal to me. I'm Killer B and Naruto and his big sisters are family.”

Hiruzen wasn't going to belabor the point. “As you like. Then I suppose I'll see you in a year's time.”

After the Kumo contingent left, he leaned back in his chair with a sigh. He wasn't opposed to closer relations with Kumo but perhaps later, after the dust had settled from all the changes in Konoha.

His granddaughter was a blessing but her penchant for meddling was a menace.


	9. Epilogue: Dawn

She woke up with a hand pressed over her mouth. Dawn thought about fighting but her own eyes laughed back at her from an older face. She felt chakra snap up around them and scuttled upright as soon as the hand left her mouth.

“Wow, Kaka-chan was right. I _have_ always been a feisty brat,” Older her said with a sunny smile. “But I guess you're more concerned about why I'm here.”

“Most theories on time travel suggest trying to avoid contact with yourself,” she said, not at all sure what to make of this situation.

“Yeah, well,” Older Dawn shrugged. “We kind of write the rules of time, don't we?”

“Why are you here?” she asked after a beat. She wasn't a _Time Lord_ and she didn't now why she remembered that reference, but not the name of the person that made her trunk or the color of her mother's hair.

Older Dawn snickered, a knowing look on her face that was going to get, fast. “Time Lords,” she murmured under her breath and Dawn blinked. “We never forget that reference, you know? We even remember our favorite Doctor.”

“Eleven,” Dawn said, then blinked again. Older Dawn had echoed her.

“We never forget,” Older Dawn said, eyes lit up. “What's ours is ours.”

There was something buried in that, some ancient knowledge that was just out of her reach. She waved that away. “Why are you here, now?”

“I figured you could use someone who would understand, the first time,” Older Dawn shrugged.

A cold chill ran down her spine. “I don't want to.”

There was sympathy as well as knowing in Older Dawn's gaze. “You are me as I was and one of the reasons we adapted so well to the shinobi life is because we're nosy. You have a mystery sitting in the corner of the room. I know exactly how we react to a mystery.”

Pressure built inside her chest. “I'm scared.”

“I know. That's why I'm here,” Older Dawn said, petting her hair.

She nodded and tried to relax as Older Dawn crossed the room and retrieved the laptop. She couldn't remember their names, but she remembered the love. They wouldn't have put in anything devastating.

The laptop lit up as soon as it was opened and a familiar face came onto the screen. 'Willow,' her brain whispered and Dawn started to cry. She wasn't supposed to remember, but she did and it _hurt_.

“Hi!” Willow chirped, almost managing a smile “No one was sure how much you would remember? And we didn't want to leave you in the dark? So we thought we would...”  
Her breathing hitched and the screen blinked and Buffy was sitting there, stone faced.

“Oh, nee-chan,” Older Dawn whispered, sounding close to tears.

Buffy took a deep breath, then another, then looked frantically off screen. Another blink and Xander sat there looking unbearably weary. Dawn started weeping.

“Sorry, baby girl,” he said, scrubbing his hands over his face. “We're trying, but this is hard.”

Then he rattled off a lot of information that she was remembering as he spoke. She barely paid any attention, too busy watching his tired face, the flex of his surprisingly capable hands and wishing he was there to give her a hug.

“Alright,” he said, winding down. “You've got a life to live and we have to let you go.” He took a deep, shuddering breath. “We'll always love you, Dawnnie.”

He breathed deep for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“Wait!” Buffy rushed into view, then sat delicately on Xander's knee. Her face was red from crying. “Wait. Dawnnie, you made me a promise once. You promised to _live_ , for me. Now, I want you to live for you. I want you to do everything you want to do. Dance. Fall in love. Paint. Have babies.” Her breath hitched and someone off camera was weeping. Xander had his face buried in Buffy's shoulder.  
“Take care of yourself. And take care of Naruto. In this world or that one, he's meant to be our baby brother.”

“Nee-chan!” someone said off camera, voice cracking. Naruto.  He had just turned 14. He was so easy to love.  They hadn't expected to, when he and Jiraiya had popped into being in the Council library, but they did.

“Take care of yourself and Naruto,” Buffy said again, forcefully. “Be happy. Be loved. Goodbye.”

The screen went dark and Dawn sobbed into the keyboard. Older Dawn tried to pry it away but Dawn clung to it like a lifeline.

Older Dawn petted her hair. “Do you want a hug?” Dawn shook her head. She didn't want to comfort herself, even if it was an older version. “Do you want me to go get someone?” Dawn shook her head again. That way led to disaster. “Do you want me to leave?” Dawn hesitated, then nodded. She'd given her the courage to open up her past, but she couldn't really help with the fallout. “Okay. But I want you to listen to me, really _hear_  me.” She took Dawn's face in her hands and made her meet her eyes. “What is ours is _always_ ours. They're not here now, but they're always with us, just like we're always with them. What's ours is always ours.”

Dawn nodded. She didn't understand, not yet, but she figured she would eventually. Older Dawn nodded back, then stood and simply disappeared.

Dawn closed her eyes on a sob.

“Dawn-chan?” Asuma-nii said, sleeping falling away from him as she looked up. “What's wrong? What happened?”

She carefully set the laptop aside, then flung herself at him, sobbing. She couldn't go back, but she could move forward.

“Okay,” he said gently, cradling her to his chest. “It's okay. I've got you.” She was aware enough to hear the door open, to feel the gentle hand that cupped her head, and she was glad of her Nee-chan. “We got you. It's going to be okay.”

She held onto him and let go. She would live and love and be happy. Tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, uh, yeah. That's it for the first story. I'm working on the second one, but it'll probably be awhile. The second story will start where the anime begins. 
> 
> Also, this is where I rec things:
> 
> Where I got the idea that dojutsu shouldn't mix: Shana the Short of fanfiction.net's The Eyes Have It (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8661803/1/The-Eyes-Have-It)
> 
> And, creepy fun times: Compatibility by Elizabeth Culmer: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2294936


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